The 1990s debate over Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates echoes the interwar destroyer problem. A large existing inventory can make continuous construction look unnecessary even as the ships and the people behind them age. Design studies have value, but untested theory eventually begins to rest on more untested theory. A modest production line gives designers and yards repeated chances to test machinery and layouts while keeping skills current. When a crisis demands rapid expansion, a working industrial base matters more than paper strength built from aging hulls.
Notable Point · 4:59-7:55
The Oliver Hazard Perry comparison warns against ending production
Inventory totals can conceal the loss of current design and construction capacity once a shipbuilding line closes.