FRIGATE Development

The FF(X) Frigate is a strategic necessity to close a significant shortfall in the Navy's small surface combatant inventory and to build a more balanced, flexible fleet. Frigate directly supports the 2025 National Security Strategy which calls for, "A more suitable Navy presence to control sea lanes, to thwart illegal and other unwanted migration, to reduce human and drug trafficking, and to control key transit routes in a crisis". FF(X) will be a vanguard of the Navy's Hedge Strategy, within the General-Purpose Force handling routine missions across the globe and freeing the Main Battle Force to remain focused on high-end combat. FF(X) will act as the command ship for Tailored Offsets, specifically Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS), and integrating with RAS to lead Tailored Forces into a cohesive warfighting approach. As the low-end anchor of the Golden Fleet high-low mix, the Frigate will relieve high end assets such as Arleigh Burke-Class destroyers from missions that do not require large multi mission combatants, including maritime interdiction and counter drug operations. Its primary role is to execute surface warfare, Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS), and Command and Control (C2) of Unmanned Systems missions as well as others as enabled through containerized payloads, all through a highly producible, cost effective and adaptable platform. These containerized payload capabilities are aligned with and supported by the Navy's dedicated containerized payloads program, enabling rapid integration and fielding of mission modules, including containerized Vertical Launch System (VLS) payloads. This ensures that while Flight I of the FF(X) Class (currently planned as at least the first 2 ships) does not incorporate a traditional fixed VLS battery, it retains the capability to deploy VLS-equivalent payloads through modular, mission-tailored configurations. To deliver at speed and scale, the Navy is acquiring its new class of Frigates based on Huntington Ingalls Industry's (HII) Legend-class National Security Cutter (NSC) design - a proven American built ship that has been operational for 17 years with ten delivered cutters, protecting U.S. interests at home and abroad.

The Navy reached a comprehensive settlement to terminate the last four ships of the Constellation Class Frigate Program (FFG 63-67) with the prime contractor. While work continues on the first two ships, USS Constellation (FFG 62) and USS Congress (FFG 63), those ships remain under Navy review. No funds are requested for the continuation of the Constellation FFGs under Project Unit (PU) 3086.