Lord Jim wrote:... I see the T-31e as a stepping stone to allow the RN to maintain numbers with a reasonably effective ASW platform, or at least evolve into one, whilst the T-26 becomes the backbone of the RN's warship fleet, also evolving.
How about the shipyards? Clyde is struggling to keep the pace, so that they can survive with 6+8 = 14 high-end escorts. As modern escorts' life is ~35 years or so (let's not be optimistic here), even with 2 years slow drumbeat there are 7 years gap. With optimistic 30 years life, still we need 2 years gap (which looks OK), but this is with 2 years drumbeat. In short, T26 build pace is NOT slow. If it is 1.5 years drumbeat, it is even too fast. If T31-like is used for 2nd escort builder, we need at least 14 T31-likes. Not practical, I'm afraid.
This means, T31e must be rather simpler, like corvette, so that the technological continuity can be secured by continuing with MHC, which MUST be simple (not to eat money out of other assets).
If the T-31e ends up being simple a platform to make up the numbers with no real role beyond waving the flag and being the River's big sisters then we are simply repeating the whole B2 River situation, building ships we do not really need to fill the gap until sufficient real warships become available if ever.
Not so sure here. A T31 with "a 57mm gun, 24 CAMM, 2x 30mm gun, ESM etc" is not that bad. It is much better than T21 because, it carries state-of-the-art SAM system (T21 had vintage SeaCat), and 57mm gun with guided-round option has very promising future. Lack of ASW and lack of NGFS is not a big issue. Former cam be an issue, but it is anyway not needed in many of the theaters. NGFS is no need, with 2 CVF and 14 high-end escorts with land attack missile coming. Huge leap, already. Capability of 5 T31 does not make difference.
Even I am not supporting T31e, it is just because of ship building in-efficiency issue, and man-power limitation.