How much do expanding communications suites add to warship displacement?
Short answerThe radios alone may look modest, but power, cabling, spaces, and specialist crew can push the total supporting burden toward hundreds of tons.
NotesCounting only the visible communications electronics understates their weight. Every added suite needs generation, distribution, cable routes, operator positions, and sometimes specialist sailors. Those supporting demands can push the total burden toward hundreds of tons even when the radios appear modest. Moving one system inside a constrained hull can also force changes throughout the design.