The Royal Fleet Auxiliary illustrates that hull availability and crewing policy cannot be separated. Ships in ordinary can provide depth, but a civilian-manned support fleet also has to recruit and retain people in an open labor market. RFA service can be rewarding, though it is demanding and must be paid accordingly. Supporting the wider civilian maritime industry helps preserve the pool from which auxiliary crews are drawn. Fleet logistics depend on wages, reserve ships, and national merchant-marine capacity.
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The RFA needs competitive civilian pay and reserve depth
Royal Fleet Auxiliary readiness depends on keeping spare ships and paying civilian mariners well enough to compete with the commercial market.