The intended emphasis changed repeatedly even though the tumblehome shaping stayed recognizable. Early thinking combined air defense, land attack, presence, and general-purpose duties. Admiral Frank Kelso's 1992 destroyer technology study then tied the project to From the Sea doctrine and an assumption that the Navy would support campaigns ashore rather than contest sea control. The perceived naval-gunfire gap widened as Iowa and Wisconsin were finally removed from the naval register, pushing the program toward littoral fire support.
Chapter · 12:20-16:42
From general-purpose destroyer to littoral fire support
A flexible general-purpose successor was redirected toward land attack as post-Cold-War doctrine assumed the Navy would support operations ashore rather than fight for sea control.