Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:54:54-1:57:30

Type 32 and the Royal Navy readiness problem

A Type 32 update connects future frigate plans with escort numbers, deployment workups, and Britain's thin land-based air-defence inventory.

Air DefenceBritish Defence PolicyFleet ReadinessLive Q&ARoyal NavyType 31 FrigateType 32 Frigate
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Question

What is the state of Type 32, and where is the Royal Navy heading after the Middle East crisis?

Short answer

Type 32 is most plausibly a modified second batch of Type 31, while recent readiness problems underline shortages in escorts and land-based air defence.

Notes

Type 32 is expected to be a second batch of Arrowhead 140-derived Type 31 frigates. HMS Dragon's three-day workup is compared with what is described as a normal three-week programme. The criticism concerns the absence of another ready air-defence ship, while the crew is credited with compressing the preparation. The answer also discusses Britain's limited land-based missile defence and argues that a land version of the Aster system should have been procured.