Warship-loss risk requires unusual depth in naval command

Naval command needs several ready successors because senior officers face the same combat danger as the ships they direct. Warships carry large amounts of explosive power and receive equally destructive fire, so commanders and headquarters can disappear quickly. This helps explain why First and Second World War navies can have more senior officers relative to their size than comparable armies or air forces. A land commander may remain behind the front, and a senior air commander may work from a bunker or an airborne command post, while fleet leaders sail with the force. Their flagship is usually well defended, yet it is also a priority target. Succession and command depth are essential to combat resilience.