SOT production to be staggered around Isometric ILU

The Isometric 41A ILU programme is currently in low-rate phase 1 as it is sharing the Isometric production jig with the Sea Of Tranquillity 43D class new build. The plan was for the SOT class to be completed and then the jig could be used for multiple ILUs to quickly complete all 25 ships' upgrades. However the increase in the SOT order to 6 (and maybe 7) has meant this phase 2 of the ILU would be delayed.

The DDS have thus decided to postpone construction of the final 2 (or 3 if the DDS take up an option for an extra ship) SOTs until after the Isometric ILU has been completed. After F164 Sea Of Islands leaves the jig (scheduled to be at the end of this year) the jig will be given over completely to the Isometric ILU. Completing the ILU will take around 12-18 months. Production of the SOT will then resume after the ILU (thus 2111 at the earliest). This will allow the ILU to be completed much more quickly which will save money on a lot of the update processes because of economies of scale.

Assuming 3 more SOTs are built this will take around 15 months which will take up until around 2113. These later SOTs are likely to be of an improved standard and they will have a service life up until 2150.