Distant trade routes needed a mobile patrol backstop

The counterfactual begins by mapping the routes a mobile patrol force would have to protect. War with Italy could redirect traffic around Africa while submarines or commerce raiders operated from East Africa, and war with Japan would create additional demands across Asian and South Atlantic routes. The Falkland Islands illustrate the infrastructure problem because Britain could use them but lacked strong aviation facilities there. The proposal calls for an affordable backstop rather than hundreds of tenders or complete coverage. A limited number placed at key points could start reconnaissance immediately and buy time while permanent shore bases were built.