What size and equipment would a modern Flower-class escort need?
Short answerAbout 2,500 to 3,000 tons, optionally crewed, with sonar, limited VLS, data links, and support for uncrewed aircraft around a principal frigate.
NotesAn optionally crewed vessel could retain minimal accommodation for maintenance teams brought aboard when needed. Its core equipment would include a towed sonar array, some vertical-launch cells, secure data links, and possibly automated support for rotary drones. Several such ships could spread around a convoy while a Type 26-like frigate remains the central command and high-end combatant. Alternating which outlying vessel radiates radar or active sonar would complicate enemy localization while keeping sailors away from the most exposed sensor position.