Constellation-class frigate

The Constellation-class multi-mission guided-missile frigates of the United States Navy are based on the European multipurpose frigates (FREMM), already in service with the French and Italian navies. Constellation follows the modular but problematic littoral combat ships of the Freedom and Independence classes. The U.S. Navy announced the FFG(X) frigate project in the United States Department of Defense's Request For Information (RFI) in July 2017.

An artist's rendering of the final Constellation-class design
Class overview
NameConstellation class
BuildersFincantieri Marinette Marine
Operators United States Navy (projected)
Preceded by
Cost
  • US$1.28 billion for the first ship
  • US$1.05 billion for the second ship
Built2022–present
In commission2029 (planned)
Planned20
On order6
Building1
General characteristics
Typeguided-missile frigate
Displacement7,291 tons, fully loaded
Length496 ft (151.18 m)
Beam65 ft (19.81 m)
Propulsion
  • CODLAG
    • 1 × General Electric LM2500+G4 gas turbine
    • 2 × electric propulsion motors: INDAR 2 x 3.4 MW
    • 4 × ship service diesel generators Rolls-Royce MTU 20V 4000 M53B engine 3000 kW for a total output of 12 MW
    • reduction gears: Timken Power Systems or Philadelphia Gears
    • 2 x fixed-pitch propellers
    • 1 × auxiliary propulsion unit Thrustmasters of Texas Hydrologic Retractable Thruster
Speedin excess of 26 kn (48 km/h; 30 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 16 kn (30 km/h; 18 mph), electric drive
Boats & landing
craft carried
2 × rigid-hulled inflatable boats
Capacity200 accommodations
Complement24 officers and 176 enlisted crew
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Aegis Baseline 10 Combat System
  • AN/SPY-6(V)3 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR)
  • AN/SPS-73(V)18 - Next Generation Surface Search Radar
  • Thales Group CAPTAS-4 Low Frequency Variable-Depth Sonar
  • TB-37 Multi-Function Towed Array
  • AN/SQQ-89(V)16 undersea warfare/anti-submarine warfare combat system
  • Cooperative Engagement Capability
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • AN/SLQ-32(V)6 electronic warfare suite
  • 4 × Mark 53 Nulka decoy launching system
  • AN/SLQ-61 Lightweight Tow Torpedo Defense Mission Module
Armament
  • 32 Mark 41 VLS cells with:
  • BGM-109 Tomahawk Cruise Missile
  • Possibly RIM-162 ESSM Block 2 and/or RIM-174 Standard ERAM missiles
  • Planned RIM-66 Standard SM-2 Block 3C
  • 16 × canister-launched over-the-horizon anti-ship weapons (likely Naval Strike Missile)
  • RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile launched from Mk 49 Guided Missile Launching System (21 cell)
  • Mk 110 57 mm gun with the Advanced Low Cost Munition Ordnance (ALaMO) projectile and related systems.
  • Various machine guns M240 or M2
Aircraft carried
  • 1 × MH-60R Seahawk helicopter
  • MQ-8C Firescout
Aviation facilities
  • extra-large hangar for 1 MH-60R & 1 MQ-8C
  • RAST Secure & Traverse Aircraft Handling System
  • Horizontal Reference System
  • Night Vision Device Compatibility

The Navy selected five shipbuilders to present their ideas for a prospective design for the proposed twenty FFG(X) guided-missile frigates. In April 2020, the Navy announced that Fincantieri Marinette Marine had won the contract with a modified design based on the FREMM, designed by Naval Group and Fincantieri. The project was later renamed FFG-62 program after the lead ship of her class.

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