The Hunt class sat between slow convoy escorts and fleet destroyers designed chiefly around torpedo attacks or surface combat. A Hunt had the speed to leave the screen after a contact, prosecute the submarine, and regain its station with the convoy. It could also work with an escort carrier in a hunter-killer group beyond the immediate convoy route. Fleet destroyers and Tribals served torpedo or gun actions first, while the Hunt treated ASW as a primary mission. The Royal Navy thus separated specialized escort work from the competing demands placed on a general fleet destroyer.
Chapter · 2:01:15-2:03:21
The Hunt class turned ASW into a primary mission
The Hunt class added speed to the escort role, allowing it to pursue contacts away from a convoy and regain station.