HSMS Skagerak (GB-1942 (1944-Config))

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The Skagerak class were rated as Patrol Gun Boats. They were equivalent to the Commonwealth Sloops and Frigates, the CUS Destroyer Escorts and other Escorts of the same timeline. Where they improved was the last four of the class were completed in the 1944 configuration while the six earlier vessels were brought up to that standard during their refit cycles. The latest 1944/45 built escorts were all about dual purpose roles. The major role was as anti-submarine escorts while the anti-aircraft and anti-shipping roles were secondary. The Snaab homing torpedo system allowed these escorts to be superlative at the anti-shipping role as well as the anti-submarine role. The fitting of the 100mm and 50mm automatic weapons also gave them excellent anti-aircraft capabilities.

The speed of submarines was increasing markedly through the war years with both surface and submerged speeds increasing to put the convoy escorts under pressure. An escort that spent time engaging a submerged submarine, whatever the outcome of the hunt, could then spend hours more catching back up to the convoy. The convoy being without that escort for that period of time to assist in warding off any further attacks. A never ending problem for Convoy Escort Commanders. The original design of the Skagerak class specified a speed of 18 knots, this was increased to 20 then 22 and finally 26 knots. The dimensions of the ship increased accordingly as the size of the powerplant increased. The powerplant was to be the Scania Marine diesel engine with two units of the 11,000 bhp models being fitted. This gave the ships a very good radius of action as escorts at the 10-15 knot convoy speeds.

The Skagerak class spent their time acting as convoy escorts for ships importing and exporting materials from the home ports.

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