Many years ago the CF was allowed, maybe even encouraged, to talk about their requirements in public and the Navy, at least actually published a shiny paper (does
Leadmark ring a bell with anyone?) - sure, maybe it looked a bit like the
Sears Christmas Wish Book, but my memory says that it made pretty cogent case for a fleet of 10 to 15 major surface combatants - destroyers/frigates - and as many minor combatants - corvettes? - and some submarines and oilers and training vessels and so on.
I think the authors were pretty level headed and many of their conclusions still seem, to me, to stand up 30 years after the fact.
