Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 4:06:19-4:07:25

Do not design OPV support around a war-zone mission

An OPV needing an arsenal ship has already been placed in the wrong threat environment; the money is usually better spent on frigates.

Force StructureFrigatesNaval ProcurementOffshore Patrol Vessels
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Question

Would a small arsenal ship be useful to support offshore patrol vessels?

Short answer

No: if an OPV needs that level of fire support, it is in the wrong environment; the funding would usually buy more useful frigates.

Notes

Offshore patrol vessels are presence and maritime-security ships intended for patrol, counter-terrorism, coast-guard encounters, and wayward fishing vessels. They are not designed to fight hostile surface combatants. If an OPV needs a dedicated arsenal ship to survive its assigned waters, the force has already put it in the wrong threat environment. Applying the same money to additional frigates would produce a more coherent and independently useful war-fighting force.