River-class patrol ships define a maritime-security boundary

Maritime-security assets serve a different purpose from small warships designed to shift between presence and combat roles. River-class offshore patrol vessels are well suited to fisheries, patrol, and other traffic-policing tasks where using an expensive combatant would be wasteful. They can support allies and perform useful wartime secondary duties, but their design does not let them become frontline warfighting sloops through a rapid refit. The distinction clarifies what commanders actually receive from the procurement. Claiming that one design can serve every user obscures the separate need for patrol boats, adaptable presence ships, and high-end combatants.