Corvettes and convoy escorts could buy time for merchantmen to scatter, but they were not designed to defeat a hostile surface formation. Corvettes might gain a twin 4-inch mounting, while ocean escorts could retain more surface-combat capability than their historical counterparts. Escort carriers and battleship-backed convoy cover could also appear earlier. A surface threat requires immediate local defence as well as wider fleet forces able to intercept it.
Notable Point · 1:03:29-1:05:25
Why convoy defence changes against surface groups
Corvettes and ocean escorts designed mainly for submarines would need more surface firepower when German raiders could reach the convoy routes.