The Type 23 idea with 32 extra Sea Wolf missiles

How did Type 23 as completed differ from the designs considered?

The selected design was broadly what was built. Alternatives included larger ships and an extra 32 Sea Wolf missiles, an idea rejected as unnecessary.

The completed Type 23 broadly followed the chosen design, although larger alternatives existed. One post-Falklands idea added 32 Sea Wolf missiles near the hangar. The proposal might never have become an official option, and the extra weapons were judged unnecessary. Had 64 cells become the baseline, later frigates and destroyers might have faced pressure to match it. Newer ships with smaller magazines would then have been harder to justify.