The Type 42's air-defense role on too small a hull

How well did the Type 42 destroyer meet its air-defense role?

It was an undersized air-defense ship that could do the job but needed roughly 2,000 more tons to become a fully effective destroyer design.

The Type 42 was closer in scale to an air-defense frigate than to the much larger Type 45 destroyer. The class could carry out its air-defense task, yet its compact hull left too little room for a fully effective system and future growth. Roughly another 2,000 tons would have produced a more satisfactory ship. The comparison makes displacement a question of operational margin and adaptability rather than prestige.