Gun and missile tradeoffs in modern frigate fleets

Is the Constellation class underarmed compared with British Type 26 and Type 31 frigates?

Not necessarily. Constellation operates beside numerous Arleigh Burke destroyers, while the Royal Navy's smaller high-end escort force creates different gun and missile requirements for its frigates.

Judging the Constellation class's 57 mm gun requires considering the United States Navy's large force of heavily armed Arleigh Burke destroyers. The Royal Navy has fewer major air-defence ships, so Type 26 and Type 31 frigates may need a different distribution of main and secondary guns. Type 31 is described as a useful close-defence or general-purpose complement to the more specialized Type 26. The discussion also notes unused space in Type 45 for additional Mark 41 cells and the different mixes of CAMM, Aster, or larger missiles that space might support. A ship's armament should be assessed as part of a fleet architecture rather than through isolated weapon counts.