JohnM wrote: ↑22 Feb 2024, 12:27
I think the solution is somewhere half way, £1.5B could be found…
1. Turn T31 into full GP frigates by adding a (relatively cheap) bow sonar, 8xNSM and 32xMK-41. If half of these are filled with CAMM/ER/MR and half with FC/ASW or Tomahawk, and a containerized VDS is added as needed, they would become fearsome and really well balanced GP frigates. Base 3 in the UK (one in maintenance and two assigned to NATO/ARG(N)/FRE) and two in the Indian Ocean for Kipion/ARG(S)/choke point escort and you’re all set. Including weapons, how much would this cost? £700-900M, of which £500-600M would be weapons cost and £200-300M would be sensors, mainly the sonars, and general adaptation work? I’d take that in a heartbeat.
2. Replace the RB1s with the RB2s based in the Caribbean and the Far East, and replace those with three new-build larger OPVs with a hangar and UAVs and a helo, which would be very useful in first response HADR in these areas (hurricanes and earthquakes, anyone?). The UK can get three of those for £200M each…
This would be manpower neutral (or thereabouts) and could all be done relatively quickly maybe by 2030-32…
Almost completely agree.
IMO HMG are now in a pretty serious bind. On the one hand the DS is publicly stating that the U.K. is now in a pre-war phase. That’s new are requires a response beyond a press release.
On the other hand we are to believe that the 2010 and 2015 plans which didn’t change much in 2020/2022 are still the most reasonable way for the U.K. to proceed. The reality is that HMT is refusing to up the funding for Defense and HMG is refusing to take some potentially unpopular decisions to reallocate extra funding towards Defence. So how can RN respond within the current fiscal envelope or perhaps with a slight increase?
IMO your proposal is excellent albeit I would suggest a modest increase in numbers.
• Build T31 hulls 1 & 2 as planned without adaption. Dispatch as soon as practically possible to the Red Sea and the Gulf to act as choke point escorts.
• Add T31 hulls 6 & 7 to the production pipeline in Rosyth. Maximise the remaining 5x T31 will 32x Mk41 and 16x NSM. That’s it, build them asap.
• Conduct a rapid OPV+ program to build 5x hulls asap. If BAE really can’t stretch a River or build a 115m Leander for the right price then bring in another foreign design like the T31 program successfully achieved. It would be in BAE’s interest to make it work as it could dilute Babcocks influence in the U.K. escort market.
• Decommission the RB1’s as soon as the OPV+ replace the RB2’s. Operate 3x RB2’s in the U.K. EEZ and maintain HMS Forth in the Falklands. Keep the 5th RB2 in refit/reserve.
• Replace the 2x RB2’s with 2x OPV+ in the Indo Pacific and operate 3x T31 EoS.
• Operate the remaining 4x T31 from the UK.
• Foward base 1x OPV+ in the Caribbean and 1x OPV+ in Gibraltar to concentrate on West Africa and the South Atlantic. Maintain the 5th OPV+ in refit/reserve.
• The T45 can concentrate on the CSG and the T23ASW and T26 can concentrate on the CSG and TAPS.
It amounts to 2 extra OPVs plus 2 extra T31 plus the maximisation of the T31 class.
Compared to what Australia have announced this week it’s small beer.