Faced with an LCS probably anyway anti-ship missiles are the best option for a submarine. An LCS will likely be destroyed by one hit, its missile defence is minimal and its speed does not matter at all.

And: if an LCS has to run from a submarine torpedo and leave the area, the task of the submarine – defence of that area of the sea – was anyway already successful.

We have a differing idea of the definition of ‘gunboats’ then. In my view a powerful unit that was dispatched to stand off an opponents major trade port/capital and be an aide memoire as to the likely wrath that may descend upon them should they continue their differences of opinion. Your definition appears to be what I’ve always known as a colonial sloop…intended for constabulary duties and the maintenance of ‘presence’ at a modest cost. To use your terminology of gunboat then we are sort of on the same page I think.

There were two types of gunboats:
a) a weakly armed, cheap version of a cruiser, intended for constabulary duties and the maintenance of ‘presence’ at a modest cost. Most navies called that gunboat, the Royal Navy called some of them sloops. Usually gunboats were smaller than sloops, but had similar characteristics. Late, 20th century gunboats were small, weakly armed, slow ships, which could be built with using destroyer or cruiser tonnage (according to the Washington and London treaties).

b) a small ship, not really seaworthy ship with a heavy gun, used for coast defence (Rendel gunboats)

There was never a gunboat, which were powerful units able to be send abroad, in any navy.

Principally those capabilities will be in the ISTAR space in line with the fregate de surveillance cap that seems to so readily fit. ISTAR being suddenly deployable into places that would need significant assets tasked otherwise and useful for force protection in the wider fleet context.

I am not sure, if I understand the ISTAR comment. ISTAR is Intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance. Do you mean that LCS can be used to deploy ISTAR forces or that LCS can be used for that? Their limited sensor fittings would not really be useful for reconnaissance and intelligence.

I didnt get your point about the LCS and a helicopter attacking submarines sorry Leon?.

I guess I have understand your argument wrongly. I was taking about the risk for the submarine, which is not really higher, if it attacks an LCS from a short distance, because the limited ASW armament of the LCS. For sure the LCS has more chances to avoid a torpedo shot from a bigger distance. But the standard version without the ASW module of both LCS classes apparently have no sonar. What kind of sensors do they have to detect launched torpedoes?

The LCS is a modern imperial gunboat designed to pacify the natives

That is probably a good description of these ships – especially regarding their current capabilities lacking high end sensors and weapons. The gunboats of the 19th and early 20th century were similar in that regard. Considering for what the USN is used (e.g. in the Golf of Aden), e.g. killing people suspected to be terrorists or hunting pirates, no high end warship is needed.

@ Jonesy: we will see, if the USN will use an upgraded LCS design or something more conventional. New hull forms are not that unlikely, but I guess the speed requirement will be dropped.

But obviously the LCSs replace FFGs 😉 In addition probably also Avenger-class mine countermeasures ships.

The LCS are not really different from normal frigates. The main differences is the much higher speed (no idea, why it is necessary in the age of aircraft and missiles), the weak hulls (not really warship like, a consequence of the high speed), the modules (which are heavily criticised, because the LCS are not true multi-purpose ships), not very sophisticated sensors (i.e. dependence on other sources for detection) and the very weak armament. The big capacity for helicopters and drones is not that different from modern European frigates.

Does someone know the status of the GENESIS modernisation program of the Turkish G class (Oliver Hazard Perry class) frigates?

It would be interesting how they look after addition of SMART-S and Mk 41 VLS.

On all warships is probably very unrealistic. Perhaps it will replace Kinzhal in those ships, which are equipped with it.