In a departure from the usual naming convention of DDS ships (typically natural or geological names) the Panther 35B, the "Panther Plug", will be known as the Independence class. These 6 ships will begin building after the final Panther 35A ships are completed. The first 35B is likely to enter service in mid-2111.
The Independence 35B class (to give it it's full name) is a larger version of the Panther. The fuselage has received a number of "plugs" to increase internal space by 34%. This will allow the ships to have more roles than the Panther. The DDS said that typical roles may include mine laying, ground attack and Elint.
