The surviving patrol list is criticized as the result of successive political cuts, retaining commitments that governments found difficult to abandon. The proposed planning method instead begins with what a country is and the risks created by its geography and economy. Island status, long borders, dispersed territories, and dependence on seaborne trade do not disappear when relations with a particular rival improve. Geography establishes the baseline force requirement, while political changes alter the threats that force must face.
Chapter · 37:34-38:54
Permanent risks set the fleet baseline before threats are counted
Geography, islands, borders, and reliance on trade create enduring naval requirements even while particular adversaries and crises change.