In wartime, AD is simply an 'enabler' to allow a ground offensive to take place unhindered by enemy air assets.
And maritime operations? Amphibious operations are the future - but require air defence. And frigates/destroyers for additional anti air protection, and to deal with surface.submarine threats, and provide NGS. And Mines Countermeasures....
Yet all these things have been cut, at the same time the UK is building up its amphibious forces, with the LPD(R) to go with the LPH, new LSD(A), and Ro-Ro vessels. These all need protection, or is the Government reckoning on all future operations taking place an a benign enviroment against an opponent that has neither the will or capibility to fight?
We rely on vulnerable assets - yet lack the means to protect them. This scrapping shields to provide a little extra sword length is happening all over the Services. History would appear to warn us against it.