A family of ships built from a common platform looks like a way to reconcile different British and Dutch requirements. The idea resembles vehicle manufacturing, where a standard foundation is adapted for several products. One navy may still pay to develop the large end of the family while the other finances the small end, leaving little truly shared design work. Command-and-control and weapon systems may already be bought off the shelf, especially for amphibious ships that do not require the bespoke combat systems of high-end air-warfare destroyers or anti-submarine frigates. Landing craft form another procurement problem rather than an automatic common saving. Any claimed saving depends on identifying which expensive systems the partners genuinely share.
Notable Point · 56:35-58:04
The limits of a common amphibious ship family
A shared hull family can adapt to different missions, but savings shrink when partners finance opposite ends of the design range and buy major systems separately.