
In the grand tapestry of naval history, few ships have carved out a legacy quite as enduring as the Oliver Hazard Perry-class guided-missile frigates.

A paragon of reliability and versatility, these warships, introduced in 1971, effectively replaced World War II-era destroyers with a lighter, more maneuverable fleet defender.

Though the last of their class was decommissioned in 2015, their impact resonates through the echoes of naval acclaim and international adoption.

At their inception, the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates were a testament to economical warship design, built by Bath Ironworks in Maine, they were powered by robust General Electric LM-2500 gas turbines, enabling a cruising speed of over 29 knots.

Their armaments were a formidable array: Mk 13 Mod 4 missile launchers, Harpoon missiles, a Mk75 rapid-firing gun, Mk32 triple-torpedo tubes, and the formidable Mk.15 Phalanx Close-In Weapons System.

The service records of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class illustrate their remarkable versatility and combat proficiency, especially in littoral, or near-shore, environments.

When the Navy diverted its investment toward the less effective Littoral Combat Ships (LCS), it seemingly forgot the effectiveness of the Perry-class in these settings. The LCS program, plagued by reliability issues, stood in stark contrast to the battle-tested frigates.

The Oliver Perry-class enjoyed a storied service record so much so that in 1997, when the namesake of the class, the USS Oliver Hazard Perry, was set to be decommissioned, there was a push by the United States Coast Guard to absorb the frigates into their fleet.

Notably, the USS Oliver Hazard Perry, the namesake of the class, itself had a storied career. Launched in 1979, it conducted goodwill cruises, exercises, and was promptly mobilized in response to geopolitical events such as the assassination of the Egyptian President Anwar Sadat.

It became one of the first U.S. Naval Reserve ships to cross the Atlantic and participated in both Operation Support Democracy and Uphold Democracy off the coast of Haiti.

Despite the fond memories, calls for the reactivation of the Perry-class frigates have been met with realistic concerns.

The challenges range from high refurbishment costs, maintenance, crewing, and the relevance of their capabilities in the modern naval theater, particularly against advanced anti-access/area denial systems.

With the U.S. Navy’s Force Structure Assessment recommending a 355-ship fleet and the costs associated with sustaining such a force, the emphasis leans toward more modern and versatile surface combatants.

The truth is that for all their valor and versatility, the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates belong to an era that has slipped beneath the waves of time. Even as some voices may call for their return, the practicalities of maintenance, personnel training, and capability upgrades present steep challenges.

Reactivating these frigates would be a costly endeavor, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating an average of $26.6 billion annually over 30 years to build out the fleet recommended in the 2016 Force Structure Assessment, compared to $21.2 billion for the 2014 plan.
Relevant articles:
– The Legacy of the Oliver Hazard Perry-Class Frigates: A Naval Powerhouse, The National Interest
– Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG, United States Navy (.mil)
– Bad Idea: Reactivating the U.S. Navy’s Oliver Hazard Perry-Class Frigates, CSIS | Center for Strategic and International Studies