First of all, I dont have any desire to make the f18 lighter, it was an example. We were talking about design ideas, not the f18 class specifically.

But since you brought it up, making hulls out of standard production materials that weigh much less than the current f18 hulls would be easy.

The guys from Madison, CT took an old Rorche Acat mold and made a f18, and they had a HARD TIME making it weigh enough. Overbuilt doesnt add anything.

I used to joke that when Bimare was making their f18, they were going to take an HT hull and pour resin in it. The HT hulls arent exotic, polyester resin and fiberglass, and they are dramatically lighter than the f18 hulls.

So, yes lighter is a goal that I would recommend to improve today's cat designs. I wouldnt change a thing about the f18 class, its doing fine the way it is.