I've read about this class's development for a few years. I would like someone more knowledgeable that me to fully explain what its mission is and how it will achieve it. Thanks
Hopefully one of our USN FReepers will chime in.
It's supposed to be a shallow-draft destroyer.
But it's non-Blue Water and has very limited range.
It can't even perform to Coast Guard Cutter standards, except for speed.
In other words, it's just another stinkin' boondoggle for Lockheed-Martin.
I'm not exactly an expert, but my understanding is that the Navy was looking for a small and relatively cheap ship that could be mass produced to operate in close to shore and shallow environments. Last I saw, they were looking to purchase like 50-60ish of them. A good example of where these ships would be useful is the Phillipines or places like that. With the exception of a small number of special operation boats, the Navy doesn't have ships that can operate in that kind of environment, weaving in and out of shallow waters between islands. The current destroyers and frigates are just too large and too expensive, designed for open-ocean work. Presumably, the objective will be to provide close-in support for ground forces operating near the shore and to strike coastal targets.