Good point, I think.tomuk wrote:Again what makes the T31 not a real escort? A few more Sea Ceptor? A bigger main gun? Hull mounted sonar?Lord Jim wrote:Yes I would agree the T-31 could operate as a guard ship in the Gulf as long as it has the "Cavalry", available at very short notice in the form of air cover and "Real" warships. This is what has allowed the US to deploy USCG Cutters in the region. But to be forward deployed without this safety net severely limits where you can safely deploy the T-31, unless you bring along all of its "Escorts".
In the Gulf would 30mm and 4.5" be beter or worse than 40mm and 57mm with 3P rounds?
- For a Sierra Leone like operation, T31 "as is" can escort the LRG, I think.
- For Falklands war like scenario, CVSG will be also deployed. Thinking of "fighting two wars at once, one with CVSG and another with LRG" is totally against doctrine and must never be tried, I think. Just losing the precious lives.
So, it will be an operation, for example, around Somalia, and other minor African nations, and I'm afraid that is all. No chance in east Asia. Oceania is Australia and NZ's coverage (but RN can "join" with T31 and LRG?).
So yes, I also think T31 as is can do many of the LRG escort tasks.
But, I also think a but up arming T31 is not meaningless.
In a bit serious war, even though there will be a CVSG nearby, LRG needs some escorts to escort them. On this regard, 12 CAMM is surely not enough, I think. 24 or 36 will be needed.
Against SSKs in littoral condition, I think a frigate with a hull sonar is still in the "game" side not the "hunt" side. So I think ship torpedo defense system, which can detect torpedo attack, deploy decoy, advice good maneuver and hence increase the possibility of avoiding the attack, will be the first priority. Then, just wait for a Merlin to come from CV, to help them. But in view of LRG escort, a hull sonar will enable looking around a few km around her, keeping the SSK from taking the "best position" to attack the LSD/LPDs. In other words, T31 can sacrifice herself to save the LPD/LSDs.
So, adding a hull sonar and increasing CAMM is not meaningless.
NGFS? Might be good. Not sure. If there are CVSG (not Invincible class, but QNLZ class), I think NGFS will be "better to have" and not critically important. But, yes, it is better to have.
In short, all comes to how much money HMG can afford for it.