The Royal Navy has a shortage below the frigate and destroyer level, especially as traditional minesweepers disappear from a secondary presence role. River-class offshore patrol vessels provide a modern equivalent to the inexpensive, persistent sloop. Groups of at least three or four at places such as Gibraltar, Bahrain, Singapore, and the Falklands could maintain continuous coverage. Multiple hulls allow maintenance, training, and transit without ending the regional deployment or forcing a high-end frigate to cover a routine task.
Chapter · 2:34:53-2:36:27
River-class OPVs as modern presence squadrons
Modern patrol vessels fill the low-cost, persistent role once served by sloops, but useful coverage requires several ships at each important station.