The Royal Navy escorts Russian vessels passing near British waters even when the duty appears routine. Observation discourages intelligence collection, boundary testing, and headline-seeking provocation on the one occasion an unescorted transit might be exploited. The same caution applies to maintaining warships, aircraft, and armoured vehicles, which carry dangerous systems and will be worked hard in war. A breakdown can become international news wherever it occurs, so readiness and national credibility reinforce each other.
Notable Point · 1:12:42-1:14:56
Presence missions and maintenance protect national credibility
Shadowing Russian warships and maintaining combat equipment conservatively prevent probing, accidents, and breakdowns from becoming strategic embarrassment.