the RN has one T45 available today and she is several thousand miles from the UK east of Suez - that's a fact. She's escorting a UK carrier - another fact.
The phrase "relatively short order" isn't exactly comforting. I doubt the Russian hordes are about to take advantage of the situation but it does indicate just how thin we're spreading the RN with all this talk of tweaking the Chinese in their own backyard.
the big issue to me has always been lack of vessels - I've consistently said a Carrier group isn't a bad thing IF you can do it and not impact other needs.
I hope the new frigate builds aren't cut as the T45's were