The forecast is that a major future war would recreate the need for escorts in large numbers. Those vessels would have to be comparatively cheap and simple enough for industry to produce at scale rather than miniature versions of the fleet's most sophisticated combatants. Whether they would be crewed is left open, though many might be uncrewed surface vessels. New technology may change the form of escort mass without removing the operational need for it.
Notable Point · 29:33-30:39
Future wars will still need cheap escort mass
The wartime escort lesson survives changes in technology: a major conflict still demands numerous vessels simple enough to build economically.