A naval force supported from the sea avoids asking a regional ally to host an army brigade or air wing. A Royal Fleet Auxiliary can enter a friendly port, collect supplies, and carry them back to the task group. Its technically civilian status gives those supply visits a lighter political footprint than a large foreign combat formation ashore. The ally can help in practical ways without accepting the same burden on its sovereignty. Sea-based logistics therefore gives a government more freedom to sustain naval power during a crisis.
Notable Point · 29:54-30:54
Sea-based logistics and the host nation's burden
Fleet auxiliaries can sustain a task group through friendly ports without asking an ally to host a permanent brigade or air wing.