TYPE SYSTEM OF THE ROYAL NAVY

The 'Type system' is a classification system used by the British Royal Navy to classify surface escorts by function. The system evolved in the early 1950s, when the Royal Navy was experimenting with building single-purpose escort vessels with specific roles in light of experience gained in World War II. The following Type numbers are known to have been used, or proposed;

Contents

Types 11-40, Anti-Submarine Escorts

Types 41-60, Anti-Aircraft Escorts

Types 61-80, Aircraft Direction Escorts

Types 81-99, General Purpose Escorts

See also

References

Types 11-40, Anti-Submarine Escorts

★ 'Type 11' : Diesel powered anti-submarine frigate based on hull of Type 41 / 61. Not built.

★ 'Type 12' ''Whitby'' : Steam powered, high-speed first-rate anti-submarine frigate.

★ 'Type 12I' ''Rothesay'' : Improved Type 12 design.

★ 'Type 12M' ''Leander'' : Modified Type 12, general purpose frigate.

★ 'Type 14' ''Blackwood'' : Steam powered, high-speed, second rate anti-submarine frigate.

★ 'Type 15' : High-speed anti submarine frigate, full conversion of wartime destroyer hulls.

★ 'Type 16' : High-speed anti submarine frigate, limited conversion of wartime destroyer hulls.

★ 'Type 17' : Third rate anti-submarine frigate, analogous to wartime corvettes. Not built.

★ 'Type 18' : High-speed anti submarine frigate, intermediate conversion of wartime destroyer hulls. Not built.

★ ' Type 19' : Very high speed (42 knot) gas turbine powered anti-submarine frigate. Not built.

★ 'Type 21' ''Amazon'': General purpose, gas-turbine powered commercially designed frigate.

★ 'Type 22' ''Broadsword'' : Large, gas-turbine powered, anti-submarine frigates.

★ 'Type 23' ''Duke'' : Gas-turbine and diesel powered, anti-submarine frigates. Smaller and less expensive than the Type 22, with similar capabilities.

★ 'Type 24' : Commercial competitor to Type 23 designed by Yarrow. Not built.

Types 41-60, Anti-Aircraft Escorts

★ 'Type 41' ''Leopard'' : Diesel powered anti-aircraft frigate built on common hull with Type 61.

★ 'Type 42'(''i'')''East coast frigate'' : High speed coastal escort. Not built

★ 'Type 42'(''ii'') ''Sheffield'' : Gas-turbine powered, fleet area-defence anti-aircraft destroyer.

★ 'Type 43' : Large gas-turbine powered, "double-ended", fleet area-defence anti-aircraft destroyer. Not built.

★ 'Type 44' ''Emerald'' : "Project Horizon, Common New Generation Frigate". Pan-European, advanced fleet area-defence anti-aircraft frigate. Not built.

★ 'Type 45' ''Daring'' : Advanced fleet area-defence anti-aircraft destroyer to replace Type 44 project.

Types 61-80, Aircraft Direction Escorts

★ 'Type 61' ''Salisbury'' : Diesel powered aircraft-direction frigate built on common hull with Type 41.

★ 'Type 62' ''M'' class : High-speed aircraft-direction frigate, full conversion of wartime destroyer hulls. Not built.

Types 81-99, General Purpose Escorts

★ 'Type 81' ''Tribal'' : Single-shaft steam / gas-turbine powered general purpose "colonial" frigates.

★ 'Type 82' ''Bristol'' : Large steam / gas-turbine powered fleet anti-aircraft and anti-submarine destroyer.

See also

★ Naming conventions for destroyers of the Royal Navy - describing the various conventions used to name destroyer classes of the Royal Navy since 1913.

★ Rating system of the Royal Navy - the system used to classify ships of the line during the age of sail. The "rating" system was briefly revived to further classify anti-submarine escorts during the 1950s.

References

★ "Vanguard to Trident : British Naval Policy since World War II", Eric J. Grove, The Bodley head, 1987, ISBN 0-370-31021-7