but retained their Royal Navy names and were returned after the war; a fourth ship – Loch Fionn – was also earmarked for transfer but was retained by the Royal Navy as a Bay-class frigate. Loch Ard, Loch Boisdale and Loch Cree were transferred to South Africa as Transvaal, Good Hope and Natal respectively on completion. In 1948, six vessels, including two of the ex-Royal Canadian Navy trio, were refitted from reserve and transferred to New Zealand. During the Korean War, the Royal Navy reactivated several vessels and transferred them to the Mediterranean where they released s for war duties. In 1964 Loch Insh was transferred to Malaysia. Modifications Loch Assynt and Loch Torridon were modified whilst under construction to depot ships for coastal forces, armed with a twin QF Mark XVI on a single mounting Mark XIX forward and six single 20 mm Oerlikons. With the war in the Atlantic won by 1944, and a need forecast for additional fleet A/A escorts for the Royal Navy's increased Far Eastern commitments, twenty-six Loch class were redesigned and renamed (of which nineteen were completed) as Bay-class anti-aircraft frigates. In 1953, seven vessels were modernised; Loch Alvie, Loch Fada, Loch Fyne, Loch Insh, Loch Killisport, Loch Lomond and Loch Ruthven. The single gun was replaced by the ubiquitous twin mounting HA/LA Mark XIX and the A/A weaponry was standardised as a single twin mounting Mark V and four single mounting Mark VII for the 40 mm Bofors gun, with a Simple Tachymetric Director shipped for the Mark V. Radar Type 277 was fitted with the new ANU antenna array. Loch Killisport sported a gunshield manufactured from GRP to test this material for suitability of constructing the housing of the new 4.5-inch gun Mark 8. Loch Fada paid off in 1967 and was used to test an early vertical launch variant of the new Sea Wolf missile. Completed ships Royal Navy 1942 War Programme (4 ships): 1943 War Programme (26 completed including 2 modified as Coastal Forces Depot Ships): – built by Smith's Dock, laid down 13 December 1943, launched 7 July 1944 and completed 1 February 1945. Transferred to Royal New Zealand Navy on 28 September 1948 as Kaniere. – built by Barclay Curle, laid down 31 August 1943, launched 14 April 1944 and completed 21 August 1944; transferred to Royal Canadian Navy on completion, returned to Royal Navy in 1945. Sold