Does the Constellation outcome make US shipbuilding a laughingstock?
Short answerThe consulting account identifies incompatible government requirements as the problem: the companies had been directed towards different air-warfare, ASW and general-purpose roles.
NotesDr. Clarke recalls attending separate consulting meetings with three companies involved in frigate proposals. Each company had received a different understanding of the requirement: an air-warfare frigate, a dedicated ASW ship, or a general-purpose combatant. They asked him how to turn those requirements into operational capabilities. His account puts the disagreement at the level of government direction rather than fabrication capacity. The companies and meetings are not named, so the example remains personal testimony about inconsistent requirements.