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The Type 4X Destroyer – An early look at an early concept
The Type 4X is just an early concept at this stage but a variant of the Type 26 Frigate is officially being considered for the job.

Yes in fact I vaguely recall something about Type 27 and Type 28 being based on the same hull and propulsion as Type 26.
What requirements did they ignore?
So far the Type 26 hasn't been successful on the export market, managing to gain one or two orders that the original design probably could have gotten without even trying.
I can't comment on BAE Systems, but space in a warship is a premium product for those aboard her. It doesn't actually cost much these days but it's value is greater than goldMentioning affordable in the same breath as the T26 might be a slight exaggeration, the MoD budget is £4 billion for the first batch of three ships, BAE contract is £3.7 billion.
I can't comment on BAE Systems, but space in a warship is a premium product for those aboard her. It doesn't actually cost much these days but it's value is greater than goldMentioning affordable in the same breath as the T26 might be a slight exaggeration, the MoD budget is £4 billion for the first batch of three ships, BAE contract is £3.7 billion.
Type 26 is the outcome of probably the most studied warship effort in the RN's history.
I think one has to consider that while people tend to say Type 26 is the successor to Type 23, it seems far more like it succeeds the Type 22.
And unfortunately for us, this means elements of the ship are likely to remain very 'black' for a long time. All I can suggest is take a look at those aerials and remember how capable Type 22 was for electronic signals interception.
If you're looking for where the genuine gold plating is coming from, look there.
Type 26 is the outcome of probably the most studied warship effort in the RN's history.
The original design yes. What the Royal Navy ultimately got was something else entirely. The 'old' plan was for the navy to get eight ASW variants and five GP variants (and even that was less than they needed). Instead they will be extremely lucky if they can get four of an expensive frigate that is optimized for expeditionary operations in littoral waters (and precious little else). The Type 26 program can be considered to be a total failure by just about any metric one can think of, apart from possibly maintaining shipbuilding capacity.
[For the same money the Spanish buying five, not three, new Navantia F110 frigates
That just makes no sense.Type 26 is the outcome of probably the most studied warship effort in the RN's history.
The original design yes. What the Royal Navy ultimately got was something else entirely. The 'old' plan was for the navy to get eight ASW variants and five GP variants (and even that was less than they needed). Instead they will be extremely lucky if they can get four of an expensive frigate that is optimized for expeditionary operations in littoral waters (and precious little else). The Type 26 program can be considered to be a total failure by just about any metric one can think of, apart from possibly maintaining shipbuilding capacity.
[For the same money the Spanish buying five, not three, new Navantia F110 frigates
And given the choice of Type 26 and F110 Australia chose Type 26. Perhaps the comparison isn't quite as simple.
(Possibly a reflection of Australia's painful experience getting the Hobarts (Navantia F105s) into the water).
If one has spent time at sea on a boat, ...
Then one of the things you will discover is that whoever's designed this stuff, never had to maintain it.
Pipes you need to get to, or wiring often snake into crevices you didn't think existed, and quickly discover that you need to be some sort of octopus with eyes on the end of you hands that can see in the dark....
Lol try that when you need to break the seal on a sewage pipe in a pitching sea.If one has spent time at sea on a boat, ...
Then one of the things you will discover is that whoever's designed this stuff, never had to maintain it.
Pipes you need to get to, or wiring often snake into crevices you didn't think existed, and quickly discover that you need to be some sort of octopus with eyes on the end of you hands that can see in the dark....
Hands? What is this "hands"? One hand for the ship, one hand for yourself.
If T26 was this exped/littoral ship then it would be the 5x GP. As it is, it has S2087, Merlin, quietening (v.expensive rafts, propellors, aux machinery moubtings and noise path analysis for the desgin) and so on to do that ASW role as its premier role.
Your first para has no relevance to your former claims. Indeed you now seem to be shifting to actually agree T26 is a capable design based around ASW.
Plans change, the barebones 3rd variant was never T26 but “C3” and the River2s have eventually occupied that slot (for better or worse).
T26 fills exactly the ASW/GP slot it was intended to, there is no reason why a GP T26 could not be built - except that what people want is a GP/ASW ship and not some oversilenced FFBNW thing. The latter evolved to T31 because of a concern T26 was costly due to the ASW role requirements and FFBNW would never be actioned (which it wouldn’t). It was also hoped to promote exports as the T26 was felt to be too capable and expensive to appeal overseas. That was the mistake and T31 is in my view merely a costly attempt at “anyone but BAE”, but which will bring a seperate strand of parts, weapons and training yet again. They’ll be the first to go.
No British warship has won a Canadian or Australian order since the 1960s, nearly 60 years ago. The 60 years prior to that they were practically 100% British. That should tell you something about how far we diverged and the idea any British design should automatically achieve their sales is patently absurd and that it has is a major sign the RN is getting its designs right after a long time of not.
Don't think the Navantia F100/Hobart was a serious contender for the Australian Hunter contract whose primary mission was ASW as it did not have the expensive silenced HED propulsion system with the shaft mounted electric motors (no noisy gearboxes in HED mode) as did both FREMM and T26