The ships trained to operate within a task group but largely fought their own engagements. In one Falklands incident, uncertainty about a Type 22’s radar and firing state prompted a Type 42 to maneuver into danger rather than coordinate through a shared picture. Modern cooperative-engagement concepts make each ship a sensor and shooter node. Shared data can prevent conflicting maneuvers, support earlier interception, and conserve defensive weapons by attacking aircraft before they release larger missile salvos. British requirements have repeatedly included such integration, only for cost cuts to remove it before fielding.
Chapter · 32:41-38:28
Falklands escorts could not share a common engagement picture
A Type 42 and Type 22 example shows how poor real-time data sharing could disrupt otherwise complementary defenses.