Why some offshore patrol vessels omit helicopter hangars

Why do some modern OPVs have only a landing deck rather than a helicopter hangar?

Some navies fear that a hangar will encourage politicians to label the OPV a budget frigate and replace real escorts with it.

A helicopter hangar would make many offshore patrol vessels more useful for surveillance, boarding, and long-range interception. The omission can nevertheless reflect procurement politics rather than a lack of operational value. Once a patrol vessel carries a helicopter and resembles a small combatant, decision-makers may count it against the frigate requirement. That creates a risk that inexpensive OPVs replace true escorts despite their very different sensors, weapons, and survivability. Fear of substitution can shape a ship's visible features.