Why a carrier fleet needs more replenishment ships

How many support ships would a large carrier fleet need?

More than a small escort list suggests; multiple fast oilers and replenishment ships are necessary to sustain a large force at sea.

A force outline pairing many carriers and cruisers with only two fast oilers and two replenishment ships is too lean. The replenishment element should at least double, while the fast-oiler force should double or triple. For a twenty-four-hull combat formation, the rough working answer is five fast oilers and three replenishment ships. The oilers must cycle between the fleet and slower supply sources rather than remain permanently alongside the combatants. Sustainment capacity is therefore a fleet-design constraint rather than an accessory added after choosing the warships.