Fleet planning starts with the seas a ship must cross. Vessels suitable for the Mediterranean may be too small for the North Atlantic or Pacific. In the South Atlantic, repeated wave loads can damage hull structures and shorten service life, with conditions worsening farther south. A navy expecting expeditionary operations there must account for that environment in hull size and strength from the beginning.
Notable Point · 39:30-40:15
South Atlantic seas drive hull choice
Rougher operating waters impose structural loads and service-life costs that make another navy's attractive ship design a poor local fit.