As advanced missiles become more expensive, cheaper attack systems have room to become useful, with drones given as the example. A frigate needs weapons that can deal with those threats even if laser deployment takes longer than expected. For Type 31, this role combines its guns with a proposed Mark 41 vertical-launch installation quad-packed with CAMM. The preferred personal armament would have been three 76 mm guns. With BAE's 40 mm and 57 mm weapons available, three 57 mm guns are offered as the alternative preference.
Notable Point · 9:23-10:57
Type 31 as a flak frigate
The flak-frigate idea uses guns and numerous defensive missiles to address cheaper threats beneath the cost of advanced missiles.