Which pre-1950 ships could still serve with a light refit?

Which British ship designed before 1950 could enter the modern Royal Navy with the least modification?

A late Daring-class destroyer or Town-class cruiser offers the simplest combatant answer, while a completed Malta-class carrier or a support ship could fill narrower roles.

A late Daring-class destroyer or an Edinburgh-group Town-class cruiser is attractive because the larger hull leaves room for modification. A completed Malta-class carrier is proposed to address carrier numbers, with heat-resistant deck work and modern communications allowing F-35B and helicopter operations; its lifts are judged strong enough. A floating machine shop such as Vulcan prompts disagreement over how much modernisation a support ship would need. The narrower case for Vulcan is ordinary fabrication, such as replacing a broken gasket or flange, without trying to overhaul modern missiles. A Flower-class ship is also accepted as a possible offshore patrol vessel. Tankers face modern safety requirements, while the size and weight of modern armoured vehicles undermine the case for old landing ships.