New ships of the US Navy will start with the building of the first constellation frigate this year. Modern ship designs are needed to replace older boats like Arleigh-Burke destroyers.
American naval might is still supreme, but challenges are coming from China, especially with new ships coming out of Chinese shipyards.
Fabricating the US Navy's newest type begins in 2021, with a new ship getting built after ten years. According to the program manager, this will be the first hull, and more will be coming, reported USNI.
According to Fincantieri Marinette Marine, the build of the FFGX or future frigate called the USS Constellation (FFG-62) will be approved by naval planners, said Capt. Kevin Smith, who oversees the program, and how it would progress. It is to start this 2021; the completion will be in 2026.
Plans for more fighting ships are in the works as more challenges come in the great power struggle in the South China Sea, East China Sea, and Indian ocean, with the arctic becoming a contention place.
Smith added that the contract was given in April, getting to the functional designs, with necessary details that Fincantieri will work on.
The first Constellation frigate will be the US Navy's answer to a warship that will fulfill multi-mission different from modular missions. Littoral Combat Ship based on modular missions has become ineffective, called "Connies" from Constellation class with a fully loaded displacement of 7,300 tons. Constellation frigates are getting an adaptation of the AN/SPY-6 radar, installed on the Flight III Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers.
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It is equipped with a 32-cell vertical launch system, Aegis Baseline 10 combat system, and 16 anti-ship Naval Strike Missiles, crewed by 200 sailors. The "Connie" is about smaller and capable warships that can hold their own, despite a smaller size.
Based on the FREMM
The next frigate design will use the FREMM multi-mission frigate as the base, operated by American allies in their naval forces like France and Italy. US Navy standards are more extensive, designers Gibbs & Cox are adding and revising everything for the US version.
Changes in the hull and ship margins will pack more weapons and sensors with projected long service life. Once built, these Constellation class frigates will be more capable in their multi-mission roles.
An increase of hull margin will be another 500 tonnes of weight to be added, having space for cooling and more electricity to power more upgrades be seen on a FREMM based frigate.
Captain Smith indicated the extra room would allow the ship more upgrades than other US Navy ships. The Arleigh-Burkes are not made for such extensive additions and refits, but Connie's will serve longer and get more equipment.
The US navy is expecting a lot from the FFGX program where the Constellation class is based. Ships like it are needed to keep adding more advanced fighting ships into the future.
Both Fincantieri and the US Navy make sure that the ship will be an all-American design based on the FREMM. Once the second Constellation gets built, it is indigenously US-made.
The first Constellation frigate will be the first of ten ships added to US Navy ships as adversaries expand their fleets.
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