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This paper examines the capabilities of modern corvettes, the functions and roles of navies, the post Cold-War security environment, and the renewed focus on littoral operations. The heavy operational tempo under which the Canadian Navy has operated in recent years has highlighted the fact that it is difficult to sustain two tasks groups made up of up to four "large" warships. In addition, it has been demonstrated that at least 24 warships are required to provide appropriate coverage in our area of responsibility; the Canadian Navy has 16 destroyers and frigates. In order to address the shortfall in the number of platforms and the need to be able to sustain combat capable naval forces, this paper recommends that corvettes be reintroduced in the Canadian Navy's warship fleet mix.
http://wps.cfc.dnd.ca/papers/csc/csc28/mds/bedard.htm
Interesting paper - the author argues that, with the post-Cold War shift to brown-water littoral operations (and the attention to "Homeland Security" following 9/11) that the Corvette may fill in for the Canadian Navy. Arguing for a small vessal between 1500-3000 t, the paper states that a modern Corvette may be sufficent for constabulary roles in Canada's coastline and supplementing larger warships in the expidetionary setting. This may be even more relevent today with the discussion of amphibious capability, which will strain our Navy even more to provide sufficent Task Forces for deployment. There seems to be a common agreement that 24 surface vessels are required to fulfill Canadian Naval requirements; we have 16, and a small and inexpensive (yet operationally capable) Corvette may be able to "top up" to the required minimum and help support the proposed amphibious role for our Forces.
Interesting idea.