Is it too late for the United States to join a later batch of Type 26 frigates instead?
Short answerTheir availability is not the deciding issue. Type 26 and Mogami are judged unsuitable for the US Navy's requirement in this reply.
NotesType 26 and Mogami are both judged capable ships. Neither is considered a direct fit for the US Navy's requirement in this reply. The objection concerns suitability for that requirement, with no detailed comparison of the designs supplied here.