Test the fleet against a thirty-year horizon

Most navies inherit a fleet rather than designing from a blank page, so planners must first define the theoretical force their risks require. Existing ships can then be tested for mission coverage rather than accepted simply because they are already in service. A vessel that fits today's task may still be unusable for the threats expected later in its life. Because a new warship may take a decade to procure and remain in service for thirty years, replacement decisions must anticipate gaps well before an old class becomes unavailable.