Auxiliaries approaching combat should carry point-defense missiles, close-in weapons, and guns up to 76 mm in the proposed fit. Sea Sparrow or CAMM would provide a missile layer alongside separate close-in guns. Alex Clarke bases his concern about buying one combined defensive system on his experience of procurement funding: it could become the excuse to deny both of the separate systems it was meant to supplement. His preference is to retain the separate layers, adding the combined system if the budget permits. An auxiliary's helicopters may contribute to anti-submarine work from within the group. Its own defensive umbrella would also let area-air-defense escorts spread out without leaving that support ship wholly dependent on them.
Chapter · 6:20-8:50
Defending fleet auxiliaries inside the task group
Support ships need layered point defense so they can survive near the task group without tying area-air-defense escorts to a single vulnerable auxiliary.