Continuous naval capability requires more hulls than a paper calculation of immediate demand suggests. Attempts to replace the rule of three with two ships can work for a few months, yet the sustained availability assumed by the plan does not last. Fires, salt water, and other realities of operating at sea interrupt it. Procurement quantities therefore have to allow for ships becoming unavailable as well as those needed for the immediate task.
Notable Point · 38:38-39:36
Why two ships struggle to replace the rule of three
A two-ship arrangement can meet demand briefly, but fires, salt water, and interruptions at sea undermine assumptions about sustained availability.