Why global presence needs mass

Wartime planning concentrates forces against a known enemy in a defined theatre; peacetime diplomacy requires visibility across many regions at once. Fleet mass therefore has an independent value, especially in River-class Batch 2 patrol vessels and Type 31 frigates. A credible Global Britain policy would require substantially more of both types, alongside additional Type 26s, replacements for HMS Albion and HMS Bulwark, and the proposed littoral strike ships. Regular visits give local diplomats and governments practical evidence that Britain takes their region seriously and can help there. This dispersed work is harder to sustain than a fleet concentrated against one wartime opponent.