The program's long-lived warships are separated from its torpedo boats. Contemporary planners did not expect the first generation of these small craft to remain useful for decades. A five- or six-year replacement horizon made them closer to operational experiments than permanent fleet units. Rapid technological obsolescence was therefore a different procurement risk for torpedo boats than for battleships and cruisers.
Notable Point · 1:42:54-1:43:30
Torpedo boats were short-life experiments, not durable fleet assets
The act's small torpedo craft were expected to last only a few years and test a concept while larger ships provided enduring operational strength.