Originally Posted by
Obi Wan Russell
"Sorry, got to ask, why as an island nation do we need a worldwide maritime defence capability"
Because we are utterly dependent on seaborne trade with the entire world.
Churchill was only afraid of one battle in WW2, the Battle of the Atlantic, because he knew if our supply lines were cut we would have to capitulate in a few months at best.
The situation hasn't changed, indeed it is much worse now.
If you don't secure our Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOC) then you have already surrendered.
Obi, I have edited your post to the bare bones. You may be right but recall that in 1939 we needed 3 cruisers to bottle up one pocket battleship in a relatively small part of the world's oceans.
We had countless escort vessels to escort, not entirely successfully, convoys of merships.
We shall have exactly how many ships now or in the foreseeable future? By your reckoning we have indeed surrendered, we just don't admit it.