The Congressional Research Service groups frigates, LCS, mine-warfare ships, and patrol craft as small surface combatants despite their different jobs. Its account distinguishes operating alongside larger ships in higher-threat environments from independent operations in lower-threat settings. The Navy's FY2025 30-year shipbuilding plan called for 381 manned battle-force ships, including 73 small surface combatants: 15 mine-warfare-capable LCS and 58 frigates or modified Flight II frigates. In this interpretation, the Legend-derived first flight would establish a frigate baseline before a more capable follow-on flight. The number of first-flight ships remains uncertain. The Perry image in the report prompts a case for a capable, utilitarian escort whose requirements reflect the US Navy's existing destroyer force.
Chapter · 53:43-59:10
Small-combatant numbers and a proposed baseline for the successor frigate
The fleet-plan breakdown separates mine-warfare LCS from frigates, while the Legend-derived first flight is interpreted as a step toward a more capable successor.