Did assault sweeping justify the Admirable's armament?

Did clearing channels before amphibious landings explain the Admirable class's unusually heavy armament?

Possibly, but a sweeper should avoid the firefight and rely on supporting ships; adding every weapon burdens the specialist vessel and its crew.

A heavily armed sweeper could defend itself during an approach to a defended landing beach, but every added weapon imposed crew, topweight, ammunition, and training costs on a craft already undertaking a hazardous specialist task. A minesweeper caught in a surface firefight was diverted from the channel it was supposed to open. Role separation left larger ships to suppress opposition while the sweeper concentrated on mines. The Admirable class shows the difference between useful self-protection and loading every plausible mission onto one hull.