Commissioning a new ship or aircraft does not immediately create an effective operational capability. Novel equipment needs work-up time so crews can discover how its systems behave outside the design process and learn how to employ them together. The 2010 maritime-air gap sacrificed a unique capability that was soon needed. Retaining it would have made later expansion cheaper. On that assessment, the relative costs probably justified keeping both existing air fleets. Continuity in people, training, and practical experience therefore belongs in the assessment of any proposed saving.
Notable Point · 1:07:25-1:09:29
New platforms need operational work-up and continuity
New equipment needs years of practical learning, so retiring a unique force can destroy experience that is expensive to rebuild.