Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 1:47:43-1:48:26

Prewar escort construction would favor Hunt-type destroyers

Peacetime planning would more likely extend the Hunt escort-destroyer line, while the River, Loch, and Bay families depended on wartime mobilization methods.

Bay Class FrigatesConvoy EscortHunt Class DestroyersLoch Class FrigatesRiver Class FrigatesRoyal Navy
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Question

Would Britain begin building River-, Loch-, and Bay-class frigates before World War II in a larger-fleet scenario?

Short answer

Probably not in their wartime form; a prewar program would more likely continue Hunt-type escort destroyers built to full naval standards.

Notes

A peacetime Royal Navy preparing before the war would probably continue building Hunt-class escort destroyers instead of ordering the later River, Loch, and Bay frigates early. Those frigates emerged as wartime mobilization designs, one step above corvettes and suited to construction on broader commercial lines. A prewar program would use full naval standards and yards. The service would still seek convoy escorts, but the production environment points toward a more conventional escort destroyer or sloop.