The Altarian Navy's Guardian class frigate is part of an attempt by the navy to create a mid future fleet to replace soon to be acquired naval vessels. While the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate has not even been in service with the Altarian Navy and probably still won't be for another year or so the Naval Combat Command has projected that although ships entering service within the next few years will form the initial naval combatant force they will soon (in some cases already have been) outclassed by newer ships and technologies. The new Fleet Force Development Program has provisions to replace the Oliver Hazard Perry class frigate with a new indigenous design. The new design must be a multi-purpose frigate rather than one purely focused on ASW as was traditionally it's function. In a ne