Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:05:24-2:06:53

Why secondhand Burkes would be a poor Royal Navy fit

Wear, crew size and early-flight helicopter limitations weigh against buying old Burkes.

Arleigh Burke Class DestroyersNaval HelicoptersNaval PersonnelNaval ProcurementRoyal NavyType 45 Destroyer
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Question

Should the Royal Navy buy older Arleigh Burkes and refit them with British missiles?

Short answer

No. Heavy wear, larger crew requirements and early-flight helicopter limitations make them a poor fit.

Notes

Older Burkes have worked hard and would impose substantial operating demands. Their crews of more than 300 compare with roughly 200 used for Type 45. Early flights also lack an embarked helicopter, a serious drawback for the Royal Navy. A design can suit its original navy while poorly matching another service's needs. Japan accepts higher crewing levels and uses some similar American systems, though that does not make its destroyers simple copies of the Burke.