Export customers prefer ships on active production lines over paper designs. Follow-on Type 31 orders would sustain the line and keep a flexible hull available for drone coordination, mine-warfare support, or other adaptations. Type 26 serves a different niche as a high-end ASW asset. AUKUS and nuclear submarines then show why endurance, peacetime intelligence collection, and presence missions matter alongside combat performance.
Chapter · 39:27-44:21
Type 31, Type 26, and AUKUS production lines
Active production lines give export customers ships to inspect and preserve opportunities to adapt Type 31, Type 26 and AUKUS designs.