Reading a ship's hidden mission from its design

The method considers weapons, engines, crew, food, and other design features against the official purpose of the vessel. Comparing those features with a navy's stated requirement can reveal missions that procurement language obscured or understated. HMS Unicorn is the modern example: although described as a forward aviation support ship, her completed form and capabilities also resembled a prototype light fleet carrier. American 24-pounder frigates provide the age-of-sail parallel. Their exceptional power suited ordinary cruising and made them status ships that could display American strength abroad while overmatching other frigates. The method cautions that a warship's real purpose may be legible in its compromises even when official labels tell only part of the story.