Ships expected to represent a country around the world must reach distant stations and remain there. Modern frigates and destroyers consequently perform much of the work associated with interwar cruisers. Six- or nine-month deployments also require accommodation that people can live in for long periods. The capsule-hotel comparison illustrates why a ship large enough for its equipment can still be too cramped for its mission. A stated political interpretation links persistent overseas commitments to leaders seeking success abroad when domestic politics frustrates them.
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Global presence turns escorts into cruiser-sized ships
Worldwide deployments push escorts toward cruiser dimensions through endurance and accommodation requirements.