USN not having frigate is a big problem long overdue for solution. Either way it is a capability improvement. Perhaps the improvement in technique could translate in other ship types making them cheaper. That may having more frigate might not come at cost of other ships.
The reason is obvious. Their main priority is seakeeping. It doesn't have be heavily armed either. On the other side Russians won't use Gorschkovs that far away from their ports as the Americans do.
Can't just look at Constellation and compare to foriegn types. That is not the point. The fact is US has a urgent need for Constellation and have currently nothing. Constellation plug that hole in the naval systems. Otherwise you must use a DDG or a LCS. From a systematic point of view, a mediocre frigate has a lot to offer. From industrial standpoint it also represents a tech upgrade.
So we keep hearing. But the Admiral Gorshkov did a 175 day round trip voyage around the globe successfully. I would say that means it has more than enough seakeeping qualities.
Except the Admiral Gorshkov wasn't originally meant to be such a thing. There were plans to make destroyers and cruisers as well. But because of financial cutbacks due to economic reasons (2009-2010 financial crisis, oil price collapse in the 2010s, etc) and technical difficulties putting ships in service (also loss of naval gas turbine and diesel engine imports from Ukraine and Germany) the destroyers (Project 22350M) and cruisers (Leader class) never happened.
Yes. It is a vast improvement. But the electronics and stuffing in this ship are a clear disappointment. I guess that can be fixed on later ships of the same line if the hull proves itself to be good enough but is still kind of pathetic for the self-proclaimed hyperpower really.
If we are talking about the Chinese Navy I would say the Type 054B is a much bigger step forwards. It has a diesel engine designed and made in China for the first time. That diesel engine has 50% more power than the older ones they used. The sensor suite in the Chinese frigate seems way more modern than the American one. It includes integrated mast for example. And it has been launched today while the US frigate hasn't even had its keel laid down.
Except the DDGs are also obsolete. Even with upgrades the Arleigh Burke has only middling performance. It is behind Chinese and Japanese cruiser designs at the same time the US is going to scrap its only cruisers. Still it is better than nothing. At least they have a huge amount of such ships.
Sure Flight III has a GaN AESA radar. But it has no integrated mast for example. And most of the ships aren't Flight III. Most ships still have PESA radars. In fact they only have one Flight III ship in service.
That still doesn’t justify calling them “obsolete” or “middling”. The Burke’s have had constant upgrades over their life. They aren’t sailing around with 80’s electronics. Just look at all the work done for ballistic missile defence.
Like this one bro, updated Type 52E variant?