The Legend class can look oversized for maritime policing until the opposition is considered. Major drug-trafficking organizations can finance a capable, well-supported armed force and hire mercenaries to improve its training. This makes interdiction more demanding than ordinary police work and helps explain the need for a substantial cutter. Ship size follows the scale of the security problem rather than prestige or imitation of a destroyer.
Notable Point · 39:45-40:32
Cartel resources shape cutter requirements
The resources available to major drug-trafficking organizations help explain why the Coast Guard fields a cutter as substantial as the Legend class.