Repulse wrote: ↑22 Nov 2022, 17:13...
tomuk wrote: ↑21 Nov 2022, 21:07
Kipion takes one vessel on an extended basis. Anything can and has escorted LRG I wouldn't call it a standing commiment.
Anything can, but if you think there will be many T45s and ASW T23s/T26s spare to do this in the longer term is living on a hope and a prayer.
tomuk wrote: ↑21 Nov 2022, 21:07
ooh T31 is a high end force now? I thought it was no good and we needed more B2s
The general conversation at the moment is that Europe is the higher risk region, so it’s where we should be focusing our more capable platforms rather than using them for lower level constabulary / training / diplomacy operations.
My problem with the T31 is that it isn’t equipped to act as a high end escort, and even then I believe we should have more ASW optimised platforms. It also is too large / expensive to do a role that an OPV is doing.
tomuk wrote: ↑21 Nov 2022, 21:07T31 is a brand new modestly armed ship designed with availability and maintainability in mind it will not take 2 T31s to replace 1 old well worn B1 River.
I’d be delighted if the T31 hits the 70%+ availability of the River Class, but it won’t.
Comment-2 (of 2): On how the T31 will/shall be used, my thought. (continues)
1: I am always surprised that many here think there are only high-end-escorts and patrol vessel. No. If you look around the world, there is clearly another layer, so called "2nd-tier escorts". Actually,
a "spectrum" of capabilities in ships.
high-end escorts : T45, FREMM/Constellation/T26 ASW frigates etc
2nd-tier escorts : Nansen class, many MEKO200s etc
Patrol ships (high-end): Floreal-class, Spanish BAM, Holland-class, USCG Heritage-class cutter
Patrol ships (low-end): River B1 OPVs, many Vard-7 80/85/90-OPVs, numerous Japan CG long-range cutters
...
2: What is more, tier-1 threat and lower-tier threat is going to take different tactics. Nowadays,
the diversity of threat is getting even larger.
In 1990s, the major threat against ship were high-subsonic sea skimmer. There were another layer, Mach-3 class supersonic ASM. Only two layers. The former is to be handled with CIWS and short-range SAM (SeaWolf, Sea Sparrow et c), and the latter by long-range SAM (SM-1 and SM-2, as SeaDarts etc).
Modern maritime anti-ship threat is,
a: hyper-sonic ASM, and ballistic ASM (deadly expensive, but very difficult to neutralize)
b: (legacy) super-sonic ASM (like Vramos) (very expensive, but not easy to neutralize)
c: modern sub-sonic ASMs (NSM etc) (relatively cheap, stealthy and agile and soft-kill tolerant, not easy to neutralize)
d: (legacy) sub-sonic ASMs (Exocet, Harpoons, Chinese equivalent etc) (cheap, easy to neutralize)
e: slow suicide UAVs (very cheap, each easy to neutralize, but comes in number)
f: fast boat harassment/swarm (very cheap, each easy to neutralize, but comes in number)
So,
there are wider spectrum of threats which "soldiers on a merchant ship" cannot handle. Advance in technology make this happen, and it will surely continue. Important to note is, items d, e, and f are so cheap that even a small nation or militila can operate them (although in reduced number). So you need numbers of assets to handle these lower-end threats. I understand this fact manifests the need for a ship like T31.
T31 can handle threats e and f much better than T23/T26/T45 can do, thanks to adopting 57 mm main gun and 40 mm guns (by forgetting NGFS). T31 is also not-bad at threat-d (57/40 mm 3P rounds). T31 can handle b and c, partly with its CAMM (if the number is limited). As such, T31 can also contribute to CVSG and LRG escort thanks to its CAMM, as a member of the escort (if threat is large) or even as a sole escort (small).
As far as T31 is cheap to build, cheap to operate, and requires (relatively) less man-power, it has its own rationale to be in RN. I think T31 is as cheap as needed. But its man-power is not so low, and therefore I am sceptical about T32.
My thoughts.