A qualitative naval race needs role-specific comparisons

Competition in ship quality needs separate assessments of anti-submarine, air-defence and general-purpose performance, with consistent all-round designs valued alongside specialists.

Question

Should NATO navies pursue a qualitative frigate and destroyer race, and which designs are leading?

Short answer

Yes, with comparisons by role. The proposed leaders are Type 26 for ASW, potentially FREMM EVO for general-purpose service, and Italian and German projects for air defence; several participants decline to endorse detailed rankings outside their expertise.

Notes

Choosing a leader in a qualitative NATO shipbuilding race requires comparisons by role. The proposed ranking favours the Italian DDX programme and Germany's F127 as future air-defence contenders, with Type 26 preferred for anti-submarine warfare and FREMM EVO suggested for general-purpose work. Spanish designs receive praise for consistent quality through repeated construction and incremental improvement. The distinction is between performing well across several requirements and leading one category while falling short in another. Other participants welcome competition while declining to rank modern warships beyond their expertise. Frigate and destroyer roles, and the different ways navies use those labels, further complicate a single league table.