Weapon-class destroyer

The Weapon class emerged from a 1943 Admiralty requirement for a destroyer optimized for anti-aircraft and anti-surface work, rather than the traditional anti-submarine role. The design, prepared by the Director of Naval Construction, featured a long forecastle and a low silhouette, with a main armament of four 4.5-inch guns in two twin turrets, one forward and one aft, capable of high-angle fire. These were supplemented by eight 21-inch torpedo tubes in two quadruple mounts, and a close-in armament of six 40 mm Bofors guns in twin mounts. The propulsion plant, with two shafts and geared steam turbines, was rated for 54,000 shaft horsepower, giving a designed speed of 34 knots. The class was also fitted with the latest Type 275 and Type 293 radar for gunnery and air warning.¹

Six ships were ordered in 1944: Battleaxe, Broadsword, Crossbow, Howe, Scorpion, and Widemouth Bay. However, the end of the war led to the cancellation of the last four, and only the first two were completed. HMS Battleaxe was commissioned in 1947 and HMS Broadsword in 1948. Both served initially with the Home Fleet, participating in exercises and showing the flag. In 1950–51, they were deployed to the Far East, where they took part in patrols during the Korean War, though they saw no major engagements. Their service was relatively brief: Battleaxe was placed in reserve in 1954 and Broadsword in 1955, both being sold for scrap in 1964 and 1968 respectively.

The Weapon class was innovative in its gun armament: the 4.5-inch twin turrets, designated Mark 6, were fully enclosed and power-operated, capable of 80-degree elevation, making them effective against both surface and air targets. This was a departure from earlier destroyers that carried separate high-angle and low-angle guns. The class also introduced the use of the "B" gun position for a second twin turret, a layout later adopted for the Daring-class destroyers. The torpedo armament, though traditional, was intended for use against large surface ships, and the ships carried a substantial depth-charge load for anti-submarine work. The radar suite, including the Type 275 for fire control, was among the most advanced of its time, allowing accurate gunfire against aircraft.²

One lesser-known aspect is that the class was originally designated as "destroyer, fleet" but was sometimes referred to as "intermediate destroyers" due to their size, which was between the earlier fleet destroyers and the larger Daring class. Another is that the cancelled ships were not all broken up; HMS Crossbow was used as a target ship for guided missile trials in the 1950s, and HMS Scorpion was considered for conversion to a radar picket but was never completed. The class also had a unique funnel arrangement, with a single raked funnel that was a departure from the twin-funnel layout of previous destroyers. Additionally, the Weapon class was the last Royal Navy destroyer class to be fitted with torpedo tubes as a primary offensive weapon, as subsequent designs shifted to guided missiles.³

Daring-class destroyer

A class of eight destroyers built for the Royal Navy in the 1950s, larger and more heavily armed than the Weapon class.

Type 275 radar

A British naval fire-control radar used for directing gunfire against surface and air targets.

Korean War

A conflict (1950–1953) between North Korea (supported by China) and South Korea (supported by the United Nations, including the United Kingdom).