Letter to the Editor: ‘Sail-to-Steam’

Letter to the Editor: ‘Sail-to-Steam’

19 Feb 26
Posted by: David Giles
2 minutes, 57 seconds read
Message from the Editor

Our correspondent reflects on the development of the Type 45’s shipborne air defence as a hull form problem.

Sir, – In the recent Naval Review, your Chairman states, “there will be no planned conventional replacement for the Type 45,” [114/1, p. 6] but surely this does not mean to imply that the Type 45 is itself a ‘conventional’ design. The destruction of our latest Air-Defence Destroyer, HMS Sheffield, by a single air-launched Exocet missile, signalled the end of the slender ‘destroyer’ hull-form that had dominated warship hulls below cruiser-size for a century. It was suddenly overtaken by events, as I have sought to explain in the text and Appendices of my recently-published book The…

You are not currently logged in. Please sign in now or click here to join today.