Overview
- Secretary John Phelan announced the Navy will terminate the last four Constellation-class frigates, capping the class at the two ships already underway.
- Constellation (FFG-62) and Congress (FFG-63) will continue at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, preserving the three-yard complex and roughly 3,000 jobs.
- Officials framed the move as a push to grow the fleet faster, with the Navy seeking to reappropriate unspent frigate funds for ships that can be produced more quickly.
- The program is roughly three years behind schedule due to extensive U.S.-specific redesigns and higher survivability standards, with first delivery now expected in 2029.
- About $2 billion has been spent and approximately $7.6 billion was appropriated for six hulls, and the service is weighing faster alternatives such as Landing Ship Medium and larger unmanned surface vessels.