A navy concerned about submarines did not have to rely solely on its limited destroyer allowance. Slower hulls could carry guns, ASDIC, and depth charges without the weight and space demanded by torpedoes or 30-knot machinery. Their turbine sets and hull production could still sustain skills and suppliers relevant to destroyer construction. Matching annual submarine construction with a parallel escort program could have placed numerous convoy ships in service before the next war.
Chapter · 7:13-9:21
Unlimited sloops for anti-submarine warfare
The treaty permitted mass construction of 20-knot escorts equipped with guns, depth charges, and ASDIC even though they lacked destroyer speed and torpedoes.