Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:40:34-2:43:37

Adapting the Type 26 hull for air warfare

A Type 26 derivative could carry a different missile fit, but adapting its specialised ASW hull to air warfare raises further design questions.

Air DefenceAnti-Submarine WarfareType 26 FrigateType 83 Destroyer
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Question

How long would it take to design an air-warfare variant of the Type 26 hull?

Short answer

An outline could be produced quickly; developing it into a suitable air-warfare ship would require work on the hull's specialised ASW features.

Notes

Canadian or Australian Type 26 derivatives provide starting points for considering a different missile fit. Fitting missiles is one part of making a hull suitable for a dedicated air-warfare role. The baseline Type 26 contains expensive features intended for anti-submarine work, some of which would complicate an air-defence adaptation. These features are not individually identified in the passage. A quick design outline would therefore leave substantial work on the ship's balance of roles. The eventual Type 83 decision is also treated as dependent on future governments and funding.