but we're reducing the actual number of surface boats as the 12 Kingston class ships are apparently going to be replaced by the AOPS DeWolf class, which is weird. Will the River class be doing fisheries patrols and near-shore patrols? That seems like a waste of their capabilities
feels like we need 6-12 corvette-sized ships to allow the arctic offshore patrol ships to be focused on, you know, the arctic
the River-class destroyers are huge - double the displacement of the Halifax-class frigates they are replacing. 24 VLS silos and a full AEGIS combat suite. Are you gonna send those stonky bois out to fight the turbot wars?
there was a lot of weird experimentation in littoral waters but you basically just need corvettes or frigates to manage it. that's why the Americans went back to a standard frigate to replace the Freedom and Independence class boondoggles
and don't get me started on the Zumwalt class destroyers, my god
but basically back to the beginning, Canada procuring 12 boats is basically saying "we do not want the American navy to handle our patrol needs in the north and pacific" and oh boy is that a huge policy change
my entire life the Navy has been losing capacity at an incredible rate. The Halifax class are a venerable group of warriors but they've been brutalized by underfunding and mission creep. the Iroquois class was literally ridden until they collapsed under the crews. the Victoria class subs are a joke
now we're talking about a level of investment and procurement that will make it by far the most powerful service and move it to a top 15 navy globally, maybe even top 10, that's something else