Clive F wrote:Question: why does a ship designed and almost entirely used to escort a carrier have to be GP (8x series) to dedicated AAW (4x series)?
Perhaps because it is planned to be equally good at AAW and ASW? It's a good question. I suspect that the answer will be interesting.
Personal speculation, based on nothing but guesswork and today's wind direction, is that we are seeing the re-emergence of the plan for the CVA-01 escort ship (i.e. HMS Bristol), just as we seem to now be getting the C1/C3/C3 frigate plan in the guise of the T26/T31/T32.
IF that is correct (big IF, I agree), then I would anticipate a large (12 - 15k tonnes plus), relatively quiet, design focussed on both ASW and AAW/BMD (only token land attack, possibly via multi-purpose anti-ship missiles), capable of hosting two large ASW helicopters/ multiple offboard ASW systems, multiple smaller guns (76/57/40mm) and excellent sensor systems, EW and decoys. I suspect that, because they will be expensive, that we are unlikely to get more than four, but six would be nice.
Any shortfall in destroyer numbers could then be covered by developing the existing AAW capabilities of the T31 hull.
The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.
Winston Churchill