Nice Comment , but just one glaring problem ...
The reason why we have 23 escorts currently ,
!) BAE and the need to keep scottish shipbuilders in booze , means that we have paid over the odds for the ships we have otherwise the force would be a lot bigger.
2) AND THE MOST IMPORTANT! No one reduces there fleet to 12 COMBAT SHIPS unless they are a comeplete and utter retard.
All it takes is a lucky strike and your achive ethe equiverlent of hitting 3 ships! More ships mean that you can absorb losses, as we found out in the Falklands.
Carriers are not invurable. I can't understand why we dont just build 3 40,000 convetional carriers in say the mid way class of size, that can take 4 squadrons of fighters. Why exactly are we trying to build the absolute best, we just need a ship good enough to transport those planes to the correct area.
Jesus the old Ark Royal of the 70's could have been rebuilt with updated equipment and would probably cheaper and better.
This is what happens when you allow accountants and lawyers and people who have never sereved to be involved in the desicion making