Number of F-35A fighters airborne to maintain a 4-ship Combat Air Patrol (CAP)
The rings on the left are the CAPs, and the lines depict tanker ARCP standback distances from the CAPs.
Fuel spent in transit is fuel not spent on station. One 4-ship patrol requires 8 fighters airborne at a 200 nmi tanker standback and 58 at 700 nmi.