Twenty-seven Tribals cost just under £14 million in total, with an average unit cost of £513,412 compared with about £1.48 million for a Dido-class light cruiser. The ships were built against a nominal treaty displacement and measured 377 feet overall. The design reached about 36 knots and had a quoted range of 5,700 nautical miles at 15 knots. That range was close to the Dido figure and below the longer-ranged Arethusa class. A Tribal remained a destroyer, while its price, speed, and endurance made some cruiser duties practical.
Notable Point · 8:41-12:08
What the Tribal design bought for its cost
The Tribal-class combined a destroyer-scale price with near-cruiser endurance and a 36-knot speed, making it a practical substitute for some cruiser tasks.