Traditional destroyer combat tasks in the Soviet and post-Cold War Russian navies are moving to Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates. Those frigates are compared with the light cruisers or heavy destroyers of the Second World War. Larger modern destroyers increasingly resemble the heavy cruisers that once carried status and presence around the world. Uncrewed vessels may take over work once assigned to destroyer escorts, sloops, corvettes, and some frigates. Drones alone cannot perform diplomacy because they lack the human and political visibility of a crewed visit. One possible force-structure evolution is a large, perhaps nuclear-powered command ship leading its own uncrewed flotilla. This remains speculation, not an announced Russian programme.
Notable Point · 49:51-51:40
A future status force in an uncrewed era
Frigates can inherit traditional destroyer combat work. A future crewed capital ship may still be needed for diplomacy and command of an uncrewed flotilla.