Portugal's frigate replacement and availability problem

Does Portugal's plan for three modified FREMM frigates make sense?

The design is considered sensible, but replacing five ageing ships with three risks losing the availability needed for routine security and surge tasks.

Portugal's dependence on sea trade makes frigate availability a central concern. Replacing five ageing ships with three reduces the margin for routine patrols and an unexpected second commitment. Five hulls can usually provide one ship at sea and another available to surge, while three offer less resilience. At least four replacements are preferred in this assessment. The modified FREMM design itself is considered credible. Early uncrewed surface vessels could help, but they are expected to depend on the crewed ship operating alongside them. If that ship returns to port, a replacement is needed to sustain support and provide people at the scene of a complex incident.