Could Type 45 destroyers serve alongside Type 83?

Could the Type 45 destroyers remain in service to augment Type 83?

Possibly, but their remaining condition will reflect how heavily six hulls have been used; a larger class with a rotating reserve would have preserved availability and hull life much better.

Whether Type 45 overlaps with Type 83 depends on when the new class enters construction and how hard the six existing destroyers are used. Postponed refits improve immediate availability but eventually concentrate maintenance and reduce the number of usable ships. A nine-ship class could have supported six crewed vessels plus three rotating through reserve and refit, while spreading development costs across more hulls. Interwar reserve practice offers a precedent: older S- and R-class destroyers absorbed peacetime wear while V- and W-class and some letter-class ships were preserved for mobilization. An identical reserve pool would let reservists train on current machinery and allow crews to transfer between hulls when refits were due. Risky upgrades could also be tried on a reserve ship without immediately reducing operational availability. Moving a ship between nearby facilities would require fewer crew than operating it on an overseas deployment. Such a fleet would cost more to acquire, with its benefit measured in sustained availability and preserved hull life.