Which naval vessel is designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare missions?

The correct answer is the frigate. Frigates are specifically designed for anti-submarine warfare missions among their various roles. They are equipped with advanced sonar systems, anti-submarine torpedoes, and sometimes helicopter support to detect, track, and engage enemy submarines effectively.

Frigates serve in a crucial capacity within a naval fleet, providing protection against underwater threats while also supporting surface and air operations. Their versatility allows them to operate in a variety of environments and complement larger vessels like destroyers, which may also have capabilities related to anti-submarine warfare but are primarily geared towards larger surface threats and air defense.

In contrast, destroyers are multipurpose vessels primarily focused on surface combat, though they possess anti-submarine capabilities as well. Submarines have their own mission profiles, focusing more on underwater offensives or covert operations rather than acting as dedicated anti-submarine platforms. Battleships, while powerful surface combatants, are not involved in anti-submarine operations and have largely been retired from modern naval warfare.