http://www.shipbucket.com/images.php?dir=Never%20Built%20Designs/USA%20FF%20TSSE%20Combined%20Patrol%20Corvette%201995%201.gif

Is very much what I had in mind

The problems with going constantly high end and huge is that
a) USN runs the risk of not having enough platforms (at the moment this is mitigated by everyone else arsing up procurement at least as badly as the spams but that may well change)

b) with the exception of a tentative Israeli order US industry is not selling its fine warships overseas. The US is bankrupt and everyone (everyone who matters, my opinions and statements are of no import) is just being too polite to mention it as they don’t want their big trading partner going belly up; if the USN (and USAF) are to stay as worldbeaters then their funding nation/supporting society MUST find a way of offsetting defence spending as they have done historically

Al