Date: 2025-08-21 Page is: DBtxt003.php txt00018591
Military
The Royal Navy
Britain’s Royal Navy is considering improving the capabilities of its Batch 2 River Class OPVs. What’s the best way to do it given its limitations?
Peter Burgess
I don’t think these layouts are necessarily the best, but they provide a pretty decent idea of what can be added and where.
The corvette layout, for the expense of what it offers, isn’t the best. It has an artisan radar but no anti-aircraft weapon systems so while it allows detection and reconnaissance it is a lot of expense for limited practical use. It also sacrifices a hangar for some anti-ship missiles. Keeping the hangar means you still have a wildcat which can carry its own anti-ship missiles and also perform other roles such as boarding, anti-submarine and reconnaissance.
The addition of a 40mm bofors and extra 30mm guns in the ‘OPV Plus’ design are the easiest as they are non deck penetrating and would be perfectly plausible to fit on.
What I would do:
The River-class are primarily patrol vessel - moving them into a dedicated frigate class isn’t what they are built for and isn’t a brilliant sign. Enhancing the patrol role in higher risk situations and expanding their area of operations is plausible, though.
For weapons, fit a couple 30mm guns instead of one with automation for general use against surface targets and missiles then use a 57mm gun as the main system if possible (which it reportedly is as they is room below), if this sacrifices other capabilities a 40mm could enhance the existing roles of the 30mm systems. Typically ship-based AShMs aren’t really necessary for the cost and room, though perhaps a Starstreak sextuple missile system would be effective if it could be placed somewhere appropriately (perhaps above a telescopic hangar):
Other defensive systems might include basic chaff and ECMs if possible.
I think adding an aircraft would be the most significant force multiplier possible, such as a Wildcat with option telescopic hangars. To store weapon systems (maybe about half a dozen Sea Venoms and Stingray torpedoes depending on mission capabilities) and accommodate for the aircrew of about a dozen some passenger space for passengers may have to be sacrificed.
Alternatively, a lower cost alternative that doesn’t detract from the main surface fleet as the use of Wildcats would could be the container-based UAV hangars as suggested in the earlier design concept, with just an upgraded 40mm instead of various added auto cannons and missiles.
I would also like to reiterate the initial images were found on the ‘Save The Royal Navy’ website and are not my own, used solely for demonstration purpose.
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