Constellation-class frigate / FFG(X)

Posted by: Andrei Dcs

Constellation class is a class of upcoming guided-missile frigates developed for the United States Navy.

On 10 July 2017 the United States Navy, through the United States Department of Defense issued a Request For Information (RFI) for a future acquisition of new frigates under the FFG(X) frigate project.

Five shipbuilders were selected to advanced their proposed designed for the future FFG(X) frigates.

Ultimately, Fincantieri Marinette Marine with a FREMM-based project was selected to built 20 frigates for the US Navy.

The new class of frigates was named Constellation class.

The contenders of the FFG(X) frigate program

Six shipbuilders submitted proposals under the U.S. Navy's FFG(X) frigate program.

On 16 February 2018, the US Navy selected five of the six bidders and granted $15 million to each of them to work on and provide the conceptual designs for the FFG(X) frigate.

The five selected shipbuilders were:

- Austal USA
- Fincantieri Marine Group
- General Dynamics
- Huntington Ingalls Industries
- Lockheed Martin

The sixth excluded bidder was Atlas North America which submitted the MEKO A-200 but was not selected by the US Navy in order to provide a conceptual design.

The designs proposed by the five selected contenters were evaluated by the US Navy in order the establish the final specifications of the FFG(X) frigates.

Subsequently, On 28 May 2019, Lockheed Martin withdrew from the competition.

Contract award

On 30 April 2020, the United States Navy selected Fincantieri Marinette Marine as the winner of the contract.

Fincantieri proposed a design based on the Franco-Italian FREMM multipurpose frigate.

Thus, Fincantieri Marinette Marine was awarded a $795 million contract for detailed design and construction of the lead ship of the class.

In this initial contract it was included a further option for nine additional ships.

If all goes according to plan, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, a subsidiary of the Italian group Fincantieri Marine Group, will build a total of 20 Constellation-class warships, the first 15 of which will be completed by 2026.

The first ship of the class, the USS Constellation (FFG-62) will have a total estimated cost between US$795 million and $1.28 billion.

The follow-on ships will have a price per unit between $850 million and $950 million in constant-year 2018 dollars.

Constellation-class / FFG(X) displacement and dimensions

Constellation-class frigates will have a fully load displacement of 7,408 tons.

Each Constellation-class frigate will have a length of 151.18 m (496 ft), a beam of 19.81 m (65 ft) and a draft of 7.92 m (26 ft).

Propulsion of the Constellation-class frigates

The Constellation class will use a CODLAG-type of propulsion.

The propulsion system will consist of one General Eletric LM2500+G4 gas turbine, two electric propulsion motors, four ship service diesel generators and one auxiliary propulsion unit.

Speed and Range of the Constellation class frigates

Constellation-class frigates will be capable to reach a maximum speed in excess of 26 knots (48 km/h; 30 mph).

They will have a range of 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 kilometers; 6,900 miles) at a constant speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph) using the electric drive system.

Complement and capacity of the Constellation-class frigates

Constellation class frigates will have a capacity to host onboard up to 200 persons and the complement of each unit will consist of 24 officers and 176 enlisted crew members.

Sensors and processing systems aboard the Constellation-class frigates

The future class of US Navy frigates will be fitted with highly advanced sensors and processing systems including:

- 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
- AN/SLQ-61 light weight towed array sonar
- AN/SQS-62 Variable-Depth Sonar
- AN/SQQ-89F undersea warfare/anti-submarine warfare combat system
- Cooperative Engagement Capability

Constellation-class electronic warfare & decoys:

2 × SLQ-32(V)6 Surface Electronic Warfare Improvement Program (SEWIP) Block 2
4 × Mk53 Nulka decoy launching system

Armament of the Constellation class frigates

For aerial warfare, Constellation-class frigates will be fitted with a 32-cell Mark 41 vertical launch system (VLS) capable of firing:

- Possibly RIM-162 ESSM Block 2 and/or RIM-174 Standard ERAM missiles
- Planned RIM-66 Standard SM-2 Block 3C

For naval warfare, Constellation frigates will have a 16-tube canister for launching over-the-horizon anti-ship missiles.

Most liketh, Constellation frigates will be equiped with the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).

The close-in weapons system installed will be a 21-cell Mark 49 Guided Missile Launching System using the RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles.

The main naval gun will be the 57 mm Mk 110 gun with the Advanced Low Cost Munition Ordnance (ALaMO) projectile and related systems.

Additionally, various M240 or M2 machine guns will be installed aboard the ships.

Aviation facilities of the Constellation-class frigates

Being very large frigates, the Constelation ships will have a hangar and a helipad to operate one medium MH-60R Seahawk helicopter and one Northrop Grumman MQ-8C Fire Scout UAV helicopter.

Each Constellation class frigate will carry onboard two rigid-hulled inflatable boats.