The new ships combined a quick-firing 12-pounder, up to five six-pounders and two 18-inch torpedo tubes. Buying them did not mean that the Navy already knew how to use the type effectively in every situation. Working out their wartime employment was expected to take at least another couple of years. They could sometimes operate like torpedo boats, but exercises and testing were needed to establish when that made sense. Orders spread construction experience among yards and exposed useful features of their competing designs. Building a varied force therefore helped develop both the ships and the doctrine for employing them.
Notable Point · 17:36-19:02
Exercises helped define what the new destroyers should do
Ordering many destroyers gave the Navy ships for tactical experiments and gave more yards experience of building them.