The naval treaties left room for vessels under 20 knots, up to 2,000 tons, without torpedoes and with limited destroyer-calibre guns. These sloops could still be built to military standards and used for anti-submarine work and convoy escort in a later war. Starting a large programme in 1928 could have trained yards in Britain, Canada, Australia, India, Singapore, and South Africa before destroyer demand rose. By 1937, those yards would have had almost a decade of experience with simpler warships before attempting destroyers. This counterfactual would have produced more escorts and a wider industrial base with skills and technical experience ready for rearmament.
Chapter · 18:25-20:48
Sloops could build escorts and shipyard capacity
Treaty-permitted sloops ordered from 1928 could have supplied convoy escorts and given yards across the British Empire years of military shipbuilding experience.