US FF(X) Program

[CastleBravo]

Two years from now: "The Navy has settled on a Korean design for it's next frigate class, but there remain concerns that aspects of the design don't conform to USN design standards. Naval Sea Systems Command believes that these concerns can be addressed with minimal changes."

Four years from now: "The Department of the Navy remains adamant that the current work stoppage on the lead ship of the new John Connally class of frigates does not rise to the level of a 'total design review,' and they are confident that work will resume within the next 67-94 weeks."

6 years from now: "The United States Navy's controversial pivot away from blue water operations to a more 'Homeland-focused, close in observation' concept of operations has hit a snag as the Navy is having trouble sourcing adequate numbers of binoculars for sailors to monitor the sea from the shore..."

You forgot the $16B study to determine if foreign binoculars can be modified to suit the Navy's needs.

 

[MrTopaz]

You forgot the $16B study to determine if foreign binoculars can be modified to suit the Navy's needs.

That's 8 years from now.

 

[Scott Kenny]

Anyone with SSNs is going to track the convoy by satellite, so all the sub needs to do is get in range of missiles and shoot at coordinates from other platforms. ASW escorts at best keep the subs from closing to torpedo range. The real torpedo threat will come from UUVs.

If there's no reason to bunch up because any individual merchant target can effectively outrun a sub, there's no reason to convoy up to begin with.

Also, convoying means the merchant targets are more vulnerable to aircraft (and AShBMs/hypersonic).