Repulse wrote:If the T31 is the replacement for the 5 forward based B2 Rivers then I disagree all 5 need it.
How would that work in practical terms?
The T31's would have to cover the Falklands, APT(N), APT(S), Kipion, FRE, escort LRG(N) and LRG(S) plus whatever the RB2's have been doing in Singapore and Gibraltar. That is not to mention the UK's NATO commitments.
There is absolutely no way five T31's can cover all that.
Repulse wrote: 12 CAMM and the 57mm/40mm guns are perfectly adequate for FIGS and WIGS.
It would be completely adequate but also completely unnecessary. Sending a Frigate permanently to guard the Falklands seems like a waste of resources and a Bay or a Wave is a much better option for operations in the Caribbean. A Frigate ocassionly supporting these vessels via APT(N) and APT(S) would seen proportionate.
Repulse wrote: I personally can see the likely outcome being the role of the LRG escort with the T26 style mission bay for autonomous MCM/survey/ASW assets.
How many Frigates in the world can currently do this? How many nations around the world are proposing to enable their Frigates to do this?
I am not saying that it is bad idea or that it shouldn't happen but it wouldn't be straightforward, cheap or fast.
If the idea is to adapt the T31 with a T26 mission bay and increase armament levels up to an escort level then it would probably be cheaper to build more T26's.
Spending another £500m or £1bn+ on more design work for a THIRD class of Frigates seems like an unnecessary extravagance when money is tight and escorts are in short supply.