The thing is there is only so much capability you can add to a cheap, limited platform before it is no longer cheap, but still limited.
When the OPVs were first proposed I was pushing the line that we should be going for corvettes or light frigates, and an ideal world, GP frigates. The line back then was that we needed constablary vessels, not warships. I pointed out that the RAN had been trying to get small warships since the 1960s to replace the reserve WWII built covettes and frigates, but had consistantly failed.
We are finally getting GPFs and high end ASW FFGs, to support our DDGs. There will be uncrewed assets as well, though likely not the large ones first anticipated, they will still be better armed and more survivable than the OPVs.
I suspect the OPVs with be primarily used as constulary, training and experimental assets.
When the OPVs were first proposed I was pushing the line that we should be going for corvettes or light frigates, and an ideal world, GP frigates. The line back then was that we needed constablary vessels, not warships. I pointed out that the RAN had been trying to get small warships since the 1960s to replace the reserve WWII built covettes and frigates, but had consistantly failed.
We are finally getting GPFs and high end ASW FFGs, to support our DDGs. There will be uncrewed assets as well, though likely not the large ones first anticipated, they will still be better armed and more survivable than the OPVs.
I suspect the OPVs with be primarily used as constulary, training and experimental assets.