As opposed to a 3,000 ton warship that costs $350-450M that is not only unable to defend itself but is not even up to basic USN warship survivability standards?The problem I see with the Frigate sized alternatives is they become too valuable to risk. Can anyone imagine a 4-5000t billion dollar ship cruising up and down Falkland sound looking for mines by bumping into them and locating the enemy by bring shot at? That's what a Type 21 Frigate did back in 82, sure times have changed but that's the sort of expendability that makes fir a useful warship and useful warships win wars
That is the LCS. The initial idea was to get a Swiss Army Knife of warship, except with interchangeable blades. Instead all the USN got was the frame of the Knife with no blades at all, not even the cork screw, and only the plastic toothpick.