JohnM wrote: ↑25 Jan 2022, 20:39
Moving away from all this talk about patrol vessels and back to the topic, I’d like to make a case for uparming the T31s… the three main premises I’m working with are:
1. Assuming a peacetime CSG with 4 escorts (2xT45 + 2xT23/T26) and ARG with 1 escort (1xT23/T31/T32), the two CVFs and two ARGs, will tie up, on average, 10 escorts (assuming the maintenance and availability cycles are sync’d, for example).
2. Kipion will tie up another frigate (T23/T31/T32) permanently deployed in the Gulf (that would make it 2xfrigates permanently based in the Gulf to cover the current Kipion duties and ARG South escort, just so we’re clear).
3. Even though the RN is moving away from singleton deployments, it still has to cover a number of commitments, e.g., TAPS, FRE, NATO, ASW North Atlantic. If this requires an average of 3-4 operational ships, and assuming a 1/3 availability for simplicity’s sake, one is talking about another 9-12 surface escorts.
Therefore, a case is clear for the RN to have at least 20 and possibly closer to 23-24 surface escorts active, which is in line with the current plans for 24 escorts by the mid-30s.
Now, specifically about the T-31s:
1. They were thought out at a much more peaceful time (mid-10s), when people still didn’t see the increased threat from both Russia and China as clear and present; I believe that today everyone’s in agreement that that’s changed…
2. With that in mind, they were planned as low-cost presence/expeditionary/forward-based frigates, with at least one for Kipion, two for the Indo-Pacific, and maybe one for the Med, based out of Gib. In the meantime, those overseas commitments are/were to be covered by the River B2s (which had been imposed on the RN and had no clear role) until the latter part of the decade.
3. However, it turned out that the B2s are actually ideal for the presence mission, especially in the Caribbean and the Pacific, but also in the Med and West Africa, because they have access to hundreds of smaller ports that a full-sized frigate doesn’t and are perfectly suited for HADR (see, Tonga), counter-piracy (see, Gulf of Guinea), exercises with smaller local navies (see, Brunei) and show-the-flag occasions. The RN is now realizing they are probably actually better suited for those missions than a full-blown frigate.
Therefore, I would suggest that the best course of action would be for:
1. The B2s stayed deployed overseas until they’re retired.
2. The B1s get replaced by a new smaller OPV towards the end of the decade.
3. The T31s are turned into Tier 2 GP escorts that can be integrated in multinational or UK Task Forces if necessary.
Obviously, Tier 1 assets would be preferred, but those cost a lot of money (see T26/T83) and a Tier 2 GP T31 would be ideally suited for choke point protection and convoy escort in times of need, while the Tier 1 assets (including SSNs, CSGs and ARGs) take the fight to whoever is the enemy of the day.
The T31s can be uparmed into proper Tier 2 GP frigates very simply and relatively cheap, as follows:
1. Add a HMS and, if necessary, a containerized VDS (e.g., CAPTAS 1).
2. Settle once and for all on 24xCAMM.
3. Add 8-16 Mk-41 for FC/ASW (in both AShM and LA versions) and VLA as needed.
4. Upgrade the CMS and EW capabilities.
All of this should be possible with less than GBP40 million per ship, or GBP200 million total. Thoughts?