Capital ships and nuclear-deterrent practice illustrate a broader readiness problem. One hull provides a capability only when it happens to be ready, while two give some resilience but can still be reduced to a single unavailable asset by an accident or refit. Three or four hulls make continuous availability more credible, while five or six can support simultaneous deployed, training, and refit groups. More ships also create a deeper pool of experienced personnel, so fleet size affects both material availability and crew proficiency.
Notable Point · 37:04-38:36
Why two ships are not a durable capability
A capability represented by only one or two ships is vulnerable to refit, training cycles, and accidents; larger classes create real operational availability.