How larger fleets improve the rule of three

Where does the rule of three go in a larger escort-building program?

It becomes more favorable: a sixteen-ship force can sustain six to eight available while preserving proper training and refit cycles.

A nine-ship force divided among operations, training, and major refit may yield only three or four immediately active ships. With sixteen ships, the navy can plausibly sustain six to eight available while still keeping several in training, minor maintenance, and deep refit.