Nice find Flybywire -too close to call the article...

Nice find Flybywire -too close to call the article suggests....
Are you familiar with the roles the littorals are supposed to play?
Are they to be protected by air and other sea assets or expected to fight off air/sea attacks themselves close off shore?

Austals web sites says

"The next-generation warships will carry out a range of operations including mine countermeasures, anti-submarine warfare and the prosecution of surface attack craft in the near-shore (littoral) environment."

Sounds like they are planning to send them into "harms way" as the Yanks say
The Brits went back to steel after the Falklands because of what happened to the alloy super structures under missile attack. Remember one of the first ships lost was because the missile warhead didn't go off but the rocket motor set fire to and melted the superstructure.
I have to do some more research on their role before I'll buy in at the moment