Destroyer leaders offered a way to strengthen older destroyers by providing capable leadership and a suitable command ship. The French contre-torpilleur model raises a question about the scale and organisation of the intended force. A hypothetical allocation gives each theatre two flotillas of larger ships and four flotillas of ordinary destroyers. At nine ships per flotilla, that means 54 destroyers for each of the Northern, Pacific, Black Sea and Baltic fleets, or 216 overall, including 72 larger ships. These figures illustrate a possible force structure, not a Soviet construction programme. The actual Leningrad construction cited was six ships in two batches of three, supporting a much more limited force.
Chapter · 11:55-14:14
Leningrad leaders and the scale of a destroyer force
A capable command ship could strengthen existing destroyers, but the French contre-torpilleur comparison raises questions about numbers and organisation.