Type 26, Iver Huitfeldt, and the hidden cost of StanFlex

How does the Canadian Type 26 compare with Denmark's Iver Huitfeldt class?

The Type 26 is judged the better ship overall, though Iver Huitfeldt cost comparisons often omit Denmark's earlier investment in the StanFlex system.

Type 26 is preferred overall, although the Iver Huitfeldt approach is credited with real advantages. A headline hull-price comparison is incomplete because Denmark had already funded StanFlex modules and supporting systems. That prior investment helps explain the Danish ship's unusually low apparent cost. Adopting the complete StanFlex system is a personal recommendation for medium naval powers, with an explicit warning that it is not a universal solution.