When will navies build less cruise-oriented warships?

Will navies return to less cruise-oriented, more explicitly war-oriented ships?

Probably only after a major shock: today's large escorts already fill cruiser roles but were shaped more by permissive competition and peer comparison than by sustained wartime needs.

Modern large escorts function as cruisers even when navies retain frigate or destroyer labels. Their range and peacetime presence missions make them cruise-oriented ships, while their weapons provide a paper capability for war. British, American, Russian, and Chinese designs are all criticized for mirroring each other's visible capabilities instead of deriving force structure from the demands of sustained conflict. A major operational shock may therefore be required before navies accept more specialized, war-oriented designs.