How many Gannet AEW aircraft would replace the Skyraiders?

Replacing the Royal Navy's Skyraider AEW fleet would require roughly one Gannet for each aircraft in the planned force, with a larger request used to protect the operational requirement from cuts.

Question

If the Royal Navy had received all 96 planned Skyraider AEW aircraft, how many Gannet AEW.3s would it seek as replacements?

Short answer

About one Gannet per Skyraider, although the Navy would probably request more in order to obtain the one-for-one force it needed.

Notes

The answer applies the same procurement logic discussed earlier in the stream: the service asks for more than its irreducible requirement because the final authorization is likely to be cut. A one-for-one replacement would preserve the intended number of airborne-early-warning aircraft, including the margin needed for training and maintenance. Asking for slightly more could therefore be a way to secure the actual operational total. The exchange shows how fleet aviation numbers reflect availability and negotiating practice, not merely the number embarked at one moment.