The old Town class shows how ship names can conceal a radical change in naval function. The wartime cruisers were large, twelve-gun six-inch platforms expected to operate in every theatre and deliver rapid surface fire. Their modern namesakes are similarly important assets, but their combat power comes from sensors, missiles, aviation, and anti-submarine systems. The shared city names link two very different answers to the Royal Navy's need for versatile high-value ships.
Notable Point · 1:31:29-1:34:10
The City name links very different wartime and modern ships
The Second World War Town-class cruisers were powerful six-inch-gun general-purpose cruisers; the modern City class shares the name but serves through sensors, missiles, and anti-submarine work.