Type 23 replacement illustrates the costs of interrupted construction

The light-frigate distinction in this comparison concerns hull construction, including plating thickness, internal subdivision, and framing. Type 23 is contrasted with the heavier construction standard of Type 22. Type 23's intended Royal Navy service life is disputed here between 18 and 24 years, while extensions have taken some ships toward 30. Continued production could have allowed successive batches to replace aging hulls on a planned schedule. New turbines, radars, and Sea Ceptor could have entered through gradual design changes while older ships took less demanding tasks. A continuing baseline of shipyard work might also have reduced the cost of later Type 45 destroyers and aircraft carriers. Those savings are possibilities in a counterfactual procurement argument.