By Moderator, 30 November 2025
A few days ago, the US Navy announced that, while the first two frigates of the Constellation-class —Constellation (FFG-62) and Congress (FFG-63) — will be completed, it has terminated the contract for the next four. To explain the shift away from the frigates, the Secretary of the Navy pointed to delays and said the USN needs alternatives that can be produced faster. The lead ship was originally planned to be delivered in April 2026 but is now expected in April 2029. The navy originally planned to procure at least 20 Constellation-class frigates, with six already contracted through fiscal year 2024. Now it will produce two. The delays have been related to the program approach, and a 2024 Government Accountability Office report pointed to major problems with the approach, “noting that the navy’s decision to begin construction before completing the ship design was ‘inconsistent with leading ship design practices.’ The report warned that design delays had created ‘mounting construction delays’ and that proceeding with the second frigate without addressing these issues risked ‘repeating the same errors.’” Other programs have also experienced delays and cost over-runs. This all happens as the United States is trying to increase its shipbuilding capability to catch up with China’s massive shipbuilding industry. For more, see Mike Schuler, “Navy Cuts Constellation-Class Frigate Program Short as Shipbuilding Delays Mount,” gCaptain, 25 November 2025, https://gcaptain.com/navy-cuts-constellation-class-frigate-program-short-as-shipbuilding-delays-mount/
2 thoughts on “USN Constellation-class Hits a Reef”
Wait!! What!!!!
Wasn’t someone posting in the Forum a while ago about how DND’s ship procurement was garbage and that we should buy Constellation-class frigates in lieu of our River-class destroyers because the Americans, like everyone else, are so much better at military procurement and shipbuilding than us?
Ubique,
Les
And to think some in Ottawa actually were leaning towards the US Constellation with all the updates the USN wanted as a great replacement for our Halifax class frigates! What a mistake that would have been! The Fremm Class frigate was and still is an excellent ship as is, but what the US did was “botch” this one from the beginning! The UK Type 26 is a far superior warship than what the USN ended up with! They should pivot to buying the Type 26 design ASAP as some in the US wanted in the first place. Run away Canada! Run fast! Do pass GO! Do not collect $200 (US)!