Because the weapons it is equiped to carry are not in the inventory?

The key word was basis. Rearming (and radars, etc.) would be a given I’d have said. I did not mean to suggest we use it as (to be) built for either role!

Swerve,

Well for revolutionary thought why not just go with the off-the-shelf Project Khareef design being built for Oman right now (as above) for C3?. Perhaps with a slight mod to the stern to handle RHIBs and UUV’s.

There is still 25 minor war vessels to replace with C3 so we are still looking at a requirement for, at very least, 16 hulls possibly more like 20 for realistic coverage. Vospers are building 3 for Oman at £400mn for the lot plus initial support. 20 with standard RN kit and lesser weaponry could, realistically, be deliverable for round the £100mn mark per unit. No development costs, ready build infrastructure and a proven OPV design that we can clearly and irrevocably show is an OPV because thats what the Omani’s specified VT to build for them.

£2bn to cover all of the RN’s MCMW, patrol and droggie taskings sounds relatively reasonable. Especially when you consider how many T45’s that same amount of money would buy us!?. The Khareef is a bit short on range at 3200nm but 25knts on her diesels isnt too shabby and the Omani’s seem to think they will be adequately equipped for ops in the Gulf as is!.

Except we’re back to looking like a frigate, so modified to make it less “war-like” – no Exocet, maybe no Mica.
Don’t want a new gun in the fleet (especially if the 155mm will come in), so 76mm > Mk.8

RN make these reasonable changes (and the aforementioned extended work area if needed) – then come to justify C2 and get asked to except an unmodified Khareef?!

Maybe I’m being too cynical???

With all that onboard, what need for the rest of the fleet to command 😮

C1

T45 modified 150m hull with a much larger flight deck and hanger, removal of the large fleet comand centre and smaller mast.
T45 Propulsion
Hanger for 2 Merlin
155mm upgraded mk8 mod1 gun from old ships
speed 30 knots
Towed sonar array
16 CAMM
32 Naval scalp
8 Harpoon from the T23
2 Phalanx 1B
Artisan 3D radar
sylver A70 Launchers
2 30mm guns

C2

115m Mono hull
3500 tonnes
Crew 80 + aircrew
Diesel IEP propulsion
Speed 25 Knots
Range 8000 nm
Hanger for merlin/lynx
155mm upgraded mk8 mod1 gun from old ships
2 30mm
1 Phalanx 1B
24 CAMM VLS A-35 Sylver 6 x 4
8 Harpoon blk 2
Artisan 3D radar

C3

105m mono hull
3000 tonnes
Crew 50 + aircrew
Diesel IEP propulsion
Speed 25 Knots
Range 8000 nm
155mm upgraded mk8 mod1 gun from old ships
Mount for 1 Phalanx 1B CAMM
2 30mm
MCM equipment
Survey equipment
9m RHIB
Hanger for Future Lynx deck for merlin
Artisan 3D radar

Thanks to MSR and all the Ship Bucket people for the help on the drawings

A 155mm on a T45 and C1, yes; C2 maybe, but why is it necessary on a patrol/mcmv/survey vessel??

If we’re equipping, say 18 hulls with Harpoon and a VLS, can we not justify looking at the proposed VLS versions of Harpoon adn Exocet – the former might not be developed for Sylver, but I bet the latter will.
Btw: nice drawings

Okay,

Surely we’re not replicating T45 here, relatively local defensive fit.

(A)
(I) – Aster 15
(C)

Not (g) for logistics and politics.

STOVL alternatives

Alternatives in the shorter term:
– Yak-41 (or 141), flew towards the end of 80’s and Yakolev were trying to get interest in a follow-on (43?), so I guess there is one that has had some development done.
– Harrier III, BAE proposal from the early JCA days, for a supersonic Harrier but whether that made it beyond models and a few sketches I don’t know.

Of course both are though 80’s/90’s era now, so may require significant modification anyway.

As for the carriers in the falklands, if one of the carriers had been lost, the task force may have been withdrawn, however it probably would have been back several months later with bulwark and illustrious as well as more Type 42 destroyers fitted with the brand now and more capable 1022, rather then the 1960’s era type 965 radar.

I find it hard to imagine that the political will would have lasted for a second attempt. Might have changed the course of a certain Gen.Elec;)

And resupply of the Islands would have to be via aircraft as the UK Nuclear submarines would make any attempt to resupply by sea, suicide.

This I can see having happened irrespective of likely return of the fleet or not, until some comprimise decision was reached.