Originally Posted by
Just This Once...
The rub is that the small number frigates and destroyers have always been needed for other tasks. When a carrier deploys then either these tasks are actually not needed or the carrier sails on its own.
As to how the RN will be able to muster a mixed fleet of frigates, destroyers, RFAs etc at the same time to support sequential carrier deployments remains a mystery. RN manning and RN ports are not exactly used to such events; launching vessels as and when is considerably less taxing than supporting a carrier cycle. The RN will need more money to make this capability actually work.
The official line is that when in a high threat environment the carrier will be normally be accompanied by two ASW T23/T26s (out of eight), two T45s (out of 6), an RFA (probably one of four Tide class currently coming on stream) and an Astute. In practice two of the escorts may well comprise a French asset and a US asset, reflecting collaborative arrangements that have been in place for some time now. If the one front line carrier does one peacetime overseas deployment per year that ought to be achievable, albeit at a fuller stretch than is ideal. And I certainly wouldn't deny that the RN could do with a few more escorts.