Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:10:10-1:11:00

Why older destroyer hulls still matter in early ASW war

Older hull forms may be less efficient than new ships, but they can still provide the short-range escort mass needed at the start of a submarine campaign.

Anti-Submarine WarfareConvoy EscortDestroyersShip Design
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Question

Did Royal Navy hull technology change so much between the world wars that older ships were no longer useful?

Short answer

No; newer hulls were more efficient, but older small escorts could still provide valuable early-war anti-submarine coverage.

Notes

An obsolete hull can still be usable. Newer forms, including improved stern shapes, made later ships more efficient, but those gains did not erase the basic seaworthiness of older destroyers. Their smaller size and machinery could also be easier to keep operating than a dormant capital ship. At the opening of the submarine campaign, pre-1918 escorts could be surged into short-range home-water work while newer ships covered more demanding routes.