dmereifield wrote:Reasonable concern, but since the RN needs an absolute minimum of 8 ASW Frigates (many say this isnt even enough), how can they cut the 5 T26? If they did, they'd need to order at least 5 more T31 that are Tier 1 ASW Frigates. Is it possible to make T31 a tier 1 ASW Frigate? If so, at what cost?
My point is, no money is no money. RN has spent 2B GBP to keep its "19 escorts saga", as T31 (although originally it was intended to be 1.25B GBP including everything (ref. T31 RFI), 2B GBP was allocated... .)Tempest414 wrote:Two things here do HMG give a shit if the RN has a tier 1 ASW frigate or would it be a lose of face not to have 8 T-26 now the RAN & RCN have gone for it in good numbers.
Next it will be interesting to see what results come from the Danish navy fitting TAS to is IH class this year in fact the first ship should be fitted now and under test if they are sticking to the time scale put forward by them last year
The next step would be a A-140 with two engines and the gen sets rafted this would allow the ship to make way between 12 and 24 knots on two engines and sprint on four
And, "8 ASW escort" is another saga. How many other "saga" RN has?
At least two large FSSS is needed = "SSS saga".
At least 7 SSN are needed = "SSN saga".
At least 4 SSBN must be there = "SSBN saga".
On this regard, "8 ASW escorts" are only "one of the saga". And not so strong among the other saga, I'm afraid. From here, my fear comes. (I personally think, among these many "saga", the "19 escorts saga" = the rationale for T31, was the least important one. Yet, RN invested on it at first, and the 2B GBP has been gone, putting other "sagas" in even bigger risks).
By the way, Danish IH class with CAPTAS-4 or 4CI is never going to be a tier-1 escort, if we think French FDI "will never be a tier-1 escort". It is in the same class. FDI frigates are even newer in its technology by at least a decade (or even more, because IH's base design, Apsalon dates back to 2004).