US firm unveils new corvette design

Each corvette will have a length of 88 metres and a diesel propulsion system. The design has adopted a deliberately smaller size compared to the company's frigates to enable manufacture at lower tier shipyards and at a reduced cost, but with limited capability.

The ships will also each have a deck capable of accommodating 20-foot containers, a flight deck for use by a helicopter, and two rigid inflatable boat bays.

Like the frigates on which they are based, the new Gibbs and Cox corvettes will each be built with an operational life of 40 years.