A practical escort group exposes the cost of pure specialization. Providing first-rate anti-submarine warfare and point air defence could require roughly nine specialist escorts before other duties are considered. Maintenance, accidents, and distant deployments reduce the number available, while governments rarely fund every specialist at full capability. The likely result is a mixed-capability escort with strong air defence, a weaker anti-submarine fit, and helicopters used to cover part of the gap.
Chapter · 8:30-10:50
Why specialist fleets demand more hulls
A fleet built from pure specialists needs enough ships in every role, so financial limits push real escorts toward compromise capabilities rather than perfect task-specific designs.