Repulse wrote: ↑03 Jun 2023, 23:50
wargame_insomniac wrote: ↑03 Jun 2023, 21:32
If so, I would be interested to know how you would have intended to cover all RN escort missions apart from TAPS, CSG escort and ASW patrol in GIUK Gap. Do you see RN's surface escorts having ANY role(s) outside the T26's ideal intended missions?
In short no. The only one that is questionable is Kipion, but actually I think that would still be possible with 10 T26s. 2 (with ability up to surge 4) for CSG, 1 for TAPS and 1 for Kipion, 4-6 in refit and training.
The rest can be done with MHPCs.
I will partially agree and patially disagree.
I can agree that RN could make good use out of some Low Tier utility ships, whether you call them MHPC, Hi-Cap OPV, LSV (Littoral Support Vessel or OSV (Ocean Support Vessel), such as the previously discussed Vard 7-313. I am hoping that the RN takes the future Budget for the initially announced 6*MRSS, and uses roughly half to get three LPD with decent hangar space for LRG(N) and LRG(S) to replace Argus / Albion / Bulwark, and uses the remainder to get 4-5 of these utility ships mentioned above.
These would be great in covering HADR, policing and patrolling BIOT's, anti-drug / people smuggling, and also to deploy small forces of RM Commandos (maybe Platooon sized) by helicopter or by boat. These would be ideal to deloy to (for example) West Indies, St Helena / Ascencion Island, Oman and maybe Kenya, with 1 assumed to be under refit/servicing in rotation. The RN needs to start (re)building relationships with foriegn navies in central and south America, west and east coasts of Africa, and Indian Ocean.
Where I disagree is that you are omitting the medium from the High / Medium / Low mix. We do need some General Purpose Frigates. As well as Persian Gulf, also useful to have regular RN escort presence in the Med, the Pacific, and at some point I suspect will need a Frigate to replace OPV currently acting as FIGS, with Argentina seeming to start rearming. And that is without mentioning assigning one to either LRG(N) and/or LRG(S). So I do think we could legimately use all 5*T31 that we have ordered, albeit I have consistently stated that T31, along with rest of RN need to do away with Fitted For But Not With, and so the T31's definitely need some upgrades, not least a proper sonar.
Again I said many times that not a fan of T32, as they seem to be more of a political sound bite rather than a coherently planned RN design for a Frigate. Again as have said before RN needs to improve their crew recruitent and retention. This will cost and until RN get further additional funds, it means broadly working within the existing crew constraints. So for both of these two reason, I think T32 should be abandoned, and the money first spent on improving existing munitions stocks, secondly improving crew recruitment and retention (having new classes of Frigates being at sea will help morale but also need to look at salaries and imporving crew / family accomodation). Thirdly we can start lookng at upgrading all of RN escorts. Adding CAMM and/or Mk41 VLS, purchasing new missiles to fill these launchers (including Anti-Ballistic Missile Defence with Aster 30 Block 1NT for T45), and any upgrades to systems and sensors (e.g. aforementioned sonar for T31).
If we have any funds remaining from cancelling T32 after paying for the abov, then and only then can we maybe afford any more escorts beyond the ordered 13 Frigates. Would I like to see a couple more T26 Batch 3, and 2-3 more T31 Batch 2?? Yes sure - it just at the moment I can't see how RN is going to be able to afford them, let alone crew them!! It's why I feel that RN's only choice for additional spnding is for creative use of the funds allocatd for 6*MRSS and 5*T32 - that assumes that RN does have some future Budget funds definitively earmarked for these projects. If not then RN room for manuevre is even more limited.....
So to sum up, yes I would like a couple more T26, but not every RN mission requires a £1bn+ ASW specialist Frigate. And therefore to get the right mix of High / Medium / Low, then I do think the RN needs some Medium Tier GP Frigates in the £250m-£400m rice bracket, and some Low Tier utility ships that maybe are in the £100m-£200m bracket. (Amounts quoted are ROUGH approximations - please don't get anal about price estimates - if so I will just ignore it).