On August 31, production of the USS Constellation (FFG 62) began at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Marinette, Wisconsin – the first frigate to also name a whole type of the newest American warships. The Constellation is to be handed over to the US Navy in 2026. At the moment, the command of the American fleet is planning to acquire at least twenty ships of this type, and three, apart from the lead vessel, also the USS Congress (FFG 63) and USS Chesapeake (FFG 64) have already been ordered.
“Our team worked tirelessly with industry partners to develop a modern approach to purchasing in order to acquire 21st century frigates as efficiently as possible,” said Rear Admiral Casey Moton, head of the US Navy’s Unmanned and Small Warship Department. – The beginning of the construction of the USS Constellation is a milestone on our way to provide the Navy with new combat capabilities.
Constellation type frigates are designed to fulfill escort tasks as part of aircraft carrier combat groups and surface task forces. They are designed to combat threats in all domains – surface, underwater and air targets, as well as electronic warfare.
The ships will be able to perform tasks both in the open ocean and in coastal waters. They will be equipped with sensors, systems and weapons already available on the market, thanks to which their time of entry into service has been shortened as much as possible. The main assumption is to relieve the Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which can be delegated to carry out more important missions.
“The management of the new frigate’s program has worked diligently to minimize all risks, hence the choice of systems and devices already on the market and proven in use,” said Commander Kevin Smith. “I am proud of the entire purchasing team and our industry colleagues whose hard work on the Constellation frigate program has allowed us to move from design and development to production.
Big day today as we begin cutting steel for the @ Navy’s future USS Constellation FFG-62 at our Marinette shipyard. #Fincantieri Marine Group CEO Marco Galbiati is in Wisconsin to mark the occasion with our FMM teammates, Local #Boilermakers 696, and the US Navy. ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/BMJldzIpcj
– Fincantieri Marine Group (@FincantieriUS) August 31, 2022
Construction of the USS Constellation begins nearly two and a half years after the manufacturer was awarded a contract for the detailed design and construction of the first ship. The final critical design review was carried out in May this year, and the readiness for production was checked in July. Such a long time from the award of the contract to the physical commencement of construction was due to the desire of the US Navy and Fincantieri to complete the ship’s design as much as possible before starting construction. At the moment, the project is over 80% ready. Design works related to modular elements or details of the equipment of individual rooms, which will not affect the functioning of the entire ship, have yet to be completed.
– It was about maturing the project. This is an important but long process during which we browse system by system – explained Rear Admiral Moton. – And then there’s the feedback. If we change one thing, it affects the next. It takes some time to go through this process. To complete the design, the shipyard must have signed contracts with suppliers of all key components, because, for example, we cannot stop at saying that there will be a pump at this point, we need to know the specific model to choose the right fuses. These are very detailed works that take time. And together with the manufacturer, we found that detailed design before construction commences is the best possible way to reduce risk during production.
One or two shipyards?
To accelerate the implementation of the plan to build twenty Constellation frigates, the US Navy command considered the idea of parallel production of ships in two shipyards. In fiscal year 2022, this idea was put on hold by Congress until the design work was further advanced. It is not known whether the idea will return now, because in the meantime the US Navy changed the purchasing schedule for these ships. Originally, it was planned to buy two ships in each financial year, starting in 2023, but according to the latest provisions of the act, the Navy will order one or two ships a year depending on how many ships will be able to produce a single shipyard in the next five years.
The launch of frigate production at the second shipyard will depend on further funding for the program, finding a suitable shipyard and providing the necessary documentation by Fincantieri. The program management has not disclosed when it intends to make a final decision on the possible launch of production in a different shipyard, but it is known that it may take about a year to prepare the documentation and other information necessary for the transfer of the new shipyard. Austal USA and HII Ingalls Shipbuilding are preparing to fight for the possibility of producing frigates.
While it is said that the frigates will be manufactured by Fincantieri in one shipyard, it is de facto made up of two separate plants – Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding and Fincantieri Marinette Marine. They are both in Wisconsin, on opposite shores of Green Bay. In preparation for the production of new ships, the Italian company has invested $ 200 million in shipyards. The ships will be almost entirely built and tested in the hall on land, and will then be lowered onto the Menominee River.
Several existing buildings at Fincantieri Bay Shipbuilding, including the sheet metal cleaning and priming line, have been enlarged or modernized to accommodate larger ship components, which will later be barred across the lake to Marinette Marine, where all of them will be assembled. section and finishing works.
Constellation-type frigates
In April 2020, the U.S. Navy concluded a competition to design a new missile frigate, designated FFG (X). The contract for the design and construction of the first ship was won by the Marinette Marine Corporation, belonging to the Italian concern Fincantieri. The deal is worth $ 795 million; in addition to building the first unit, it includes the option of ordering another nine ships.
The Constellation type design is based on the FREMM frigates used by the fleets of Italy (as the Bergamini type) and France (as the Aquitaine type).
The frigates will be equipped with Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar, Aegis BL10 combat information system, Mk 41 VLS vertical launchers, Mk 110 gun, sixteen RGM-184A water-water missiles, AGM-114L Hellfire multi-purpose missile launchers, AIM direct defense system -116 RAM and extensive electronic warfare equipment. One manned and one unmanned helicopter will fit on the ship. The design will allow for numerous modernizations in the future. The unit has enough space and power to install laser weapons in the future.
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