Tempest414 wrote:is a spiky git not to be messed with without proper thinking and in the Littoral is capable of defending its self and hitting targets up to 120 km in land from 40km out to sea
Unless the treat is below the surface...
In seriousness, if the RN got the weapon mix you suggest, and filled in it's ASW blind spot, then I would be ecstatic. However, I would be building 6 and assigning them all to the CBG, freeing up the T26s who could then fulfil their full potential.
The reality is that if they are seen as replacements for the B2 Rivers - primarily in a forward based constabulary role, then the T31 will remain a paper frigate IMO.
Doing this would then allow the T32 to take on the MHPC / UUV+USV mothership role - combined with a level of self defense it could then easily cover standing commitments such as Kipion, TAPs, FRE etc. It could also be the forward based escort for the LRG during peacetime. This would leave the T26s free to be deployed globally as events dictate in areas of higher threat such as the Black Sea, Barents Sea and SCS.
If the RN did as I suggest, then I think the RN would have an appropriate, affordable and credible global navy.