Calls to add more firepower to a small presence ship can raise its cost without making it the right vessel for a high-threat mission. A threat demanding heavier weapons may call for a more capable ship, raising the prior question of whether the smaller hull should enter that danger at all. If the fleet lacks enough higher-tier combatants, the underlying problem is force structure and availability rather than the patrol ship's armament. This passage offers a concise test for distinguishing a useful upgrade from an attempt to make the wrong hull cover a fleet gap.
Notable Point · 12:00-12:36
When up-arming a patrol ship hides a fleet gap
Before adding weapons to a patrol ship, ask whether the mission belongs to a higher-tier combatant and whether the fleet has enough of them.