HMS Swift, an expensive destroyer-leader experiment

Swift was conceived as a leader for the Tribal-class destroyers and achieved 34 knots against an intended 36 knots. At about 1,850 tons and twice the price of a Tribal, she offered only a small speed advantage. Four 4-inch guns, a two-pounder pom-pom for anti-aircraft work and two 18-inch torpedo tubes did not provide a proportionate increase in combat power. The design was therefore judged poor value as an immediate model for destroyer leaders. Swift nevertheless had useful wartime service, including solo operations. She was sent out alone to search for HMS Hawke after the ship failed to return from patrol. Designers working on the 1936 Tribal class later revisited her size, operations and capabilities, giving the experiment relevance beyond its initial reception.