A force able to sink an enemy battleship still has to be in the right place when a crisis develops. Keeping a submarine near the ship would require several boats to sustain the commitment, with three allocated to the task suggested here. A submarine also has difficulty making its presence visible without surfacing close to an enemy force, which could provoke firing during heightened tension. A carrier battle group provides a visible means of opposition as well as striking power. Retaining Royal Sovereign could therefore strengthen the British case for a third Audacious-class carrier and for keeping Anson and Howe longer to support Vanguard. The distinction is between having enough firepower to win a battle and maintaining the presence needed to discourage one.
Notable Point · 15:36-19:37
Why a battleship threat calls for visible deterrence
Countering a Soviet battleship would require sustained deployments and a visible surface presence, even if submarines could destroy it in war.