Escort destroyer

An escort destroyer was a small warship built to full naval standards which was optimised for air-defence and anti-submarine duties in wartime, but which retained many of the capabilities of a traditional fleet destroyer, enabling it to conduct operations in conjunction with main fleet units as well as carrying out convoy escort and ASW patrols.

Following the outbreak of World War II, the Royal Navy had inadequate numbers of warships suitable for escort of trade convoys.

Additional V & W destroyers received simpler modifications as shipyard resources became taxed by other wartime needs.

[2] Anticipating a possible need to defend convoys supplying NATO allies, the United States Navy modified older destroyers during the Cold War.

[5] Similar modifications were made by the Royal Navy, usually to older, World War I era vessels, to fit them for specific tasks such as convoy work.