There might be further changes to the U.S. Navy’s requirements for a new frigate with a study group being commissioned to examine adding air defense capability to the requirements.
By RIM-162_launched_from_USS_Carl_Vinson_(CVN-70)_July_2010.jpg: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Matthew J. Haranderivative work: Matrek [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
In its current form, the specifications call for a ship that has enough surface-to-air missiles to protect itself. The idea now is to double the RIM-162 Evolved SeaSparrow Missile (ESSM) load from 8 to 16 or having a Mark 41 Vertical Launching System loaded with eight Standard Missile-2 (SM-2).