[John Valentine]

They won't survive combat.

Combat with who? I suspect these will be used for piracy suppression, and I suspect they will do well at it.

I do not expect that these vessels will be taking on anyone's destroyers, cruisers, or aircraft carriers. Nor do I expect that the pirates that this ship will be hounding and harassing to have an air combat component.

[BradyLS]

Combat with who? I suspect these will be used for piracy suppression, and I suspect they will do well at it.

I'd bet that you're right. But do navies really need vessels this fancy to deal with pirates???

[xzins]

standard and cruise missile armament suggests they are not intended merely for pirate suppression

[arthurus]

I am concerned that we are putting huge investment into coastal defense vessels forourselves. It is as if we are giving up controlling the oceans and thinking we can protect our coasts against attacks from the sea without controlling that ocean.

[arthurus]

A smuggler with an RPG can do some serious damage to one of these things with one shot.

[Oztrich Boy]

Nor do I expect that the pirates that this ship will be hounding and harassing to have an air combat component.

Maching gun with incendary rounds should do it.

THis is actually the second of the 4 ship order to enter the IN.

The first had a litle mishap

Trouble with carbon fibre: it's explodium