This is CVS. I on the world. I'm John Bachelor. Gordon Chang at

Gordon G. Chang, my colleague and co-host and we're looking into the US Navy building a new class of

ship warships called the constellation class frigate's what does all that mean we

welcome professor James Holmes holder of the Wiley chair of Maritime Strategy at the

Naval War College, he blogs at the Naval Diplomat.

Tim, a very good evening to you.

As I understand that a frigate is a magic road to adventure.

That certainly was true in the Napoleonic Wars.

They could get in and out of trouble very quickly.

The Navy has ordered a new frigate class they call constellation.

Built by Finke and Cherry, an Italian shipbuilding firm noted for their luxury cruise ships.

I was on the Finckin Terry Frem that was the, that was the, that was the, that was the

beta for this line of ships that was eventually chosen.

Very comfortable, beautiful ship, great fire equipment, and it had a barista and a cappuccino machine. So I liked it right away. The Navy also liked it, Jim.

What is a frigate for?

Why are they building a new class of ship?

Good evening to you.

Hey Gordon, John, a pleasure as always.

A frigate is kind of an unusual ship and in a way it's in a sense it can operate with the carrier task force or with an amphibious task force and you know and provide anti-submarine defense the anti-air defense, and all those sorts of things.

But it's also able to fan out either in small formations with other frigates and other small

craft or by itself to basically police them to police the sea lanes. The idea being that it's heavily enough armed that it can face down it can face down pirates. It can face down it can face down other challenges to freedom of the sea,

to freedom of movement across the sea,

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