Orca
Good thinking - but to get a representative figure, in the AFG example, you would also need to include the differences between the running costs (fuel / fatigue life etc / manpower costs) of having to maintain 24/7 CAPs from the CVF (over AFG)on "a just in case basis because we're too far from the fight to be able to react quickly" (and it is the transit hours / fatigue that is really hurting certain OS fleets) against being able to maintain a ground alert posture by being in-country and only launching when required. Just to keep the argument balanced. And of course the FP issues remain to a certain extent for the sea-basing option (USS Cole?) so it's not just one CVF theres all the picket ships, resupply ships etc. Perhaps may be close to 14000 personnel!
