Hmm. War fought largely in oppos back yard, without AEW or similar against a real and sustained air threat, in a navy configured at the time for defensive NorthLant sea control missions, requires high proportion of AD sorties. Who'd have thought it....
It's highly likely that the number deployed will be determined by the threat / operation. Unless of course someone deliberately chooses to limit the number deployable.
Given the latest combat radius of the B is apparently 505nm (from Engines' figures on the stitch up thread), where's your 240 from?