It’s an existing design that can be put into production for U.S. ships in a short period of time so why not? Why spend extra billions to reinvent the wheel?
Nice looking ship.
Only one 5” gun?
Steams with gas turbines.
We know how good the Spanish are at doing ships, the Armada practically speaks for itself.
Not a bad off-the-shelf FFG, and mostly US tech and engineering plant, so it won’t require much additional infrastructure like the silly LCS. Probably want to add a SeaRAM or CIWS.
Lots of right angles, the better to reflect radar.
It would be built in the USA by Bath Iron Works (GD). Other competitors are putting foreign designs, built in USA, in their bids.
The USN has needs that can’t wait for new design. They appear to be doing this right this time but it is still early in the procurement cycle and there is plenty of time to screw it up.
The real question is how many water skiers can it pull?
A "FLETCHER" class destroyer of WWII displaced 2500 tons and was 376.5 ft long.
The cold-war "ADAMS" class destroyer displaced 4526 tons and was 437 ft long.
That’s a destroyer if I ever saw one. 5,800 tons, 482 feet long, 57 ft beam
Spruance class destroyer was 529 felt and 8040 tons, 55 ft beam
Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate was 408 feet 4100 tons, 45 ft beam
she’s lighter than a spru-can but nearly as long and wider.
Oh... and someone needs to be taken to task for the condition of those anchor chain shots.
I would have resigned my commission before I would serve on a warship NOT built in the USA. I’d get a transfer or resign.