Why Type 45 diverged from the Horizon programme

Was Type 45's split from Horizon only a Falklands lesson?

No. The partners wanted different kinds of ship: Britain prioritised a larger, longer-range destroyer with room for future growth, while France and Italy had different role assumptions.

The answer sees the Falklands as part of the background rather than the sole explanation for the split. The partners disagreed over the basic scale and employment of the ship. Britain wanted a larger destroyer with longer range and substantial space for future upgrades. France sought a frigate, while Italy could accept a vessel optimized for Mediterranean distances, so the common Horizon hull could not satisfy every national requirement.