The paradox of smaller warships with more missions

Can the US Navy build smaller warships while asking them to perform more tasks?

Not without dropping capabilities; mission equipment and endurance requirements determine size and can make the ships larger.

Displacement follows equipment, crew, fuel, magazines, and endurance rather than aspiration. A ship assigned more missions must carry the sensors, weapons, support systems, and people needed to perform them. If fewer large combatants must remain on station longer, their fuel and stores also drive size upward. Calling for smaller or cheaper ships without surrendering capability therefore turns an accounting preference into a physically contradictory design requirement.