Navy Constellation (FFG-62) and FF(X) Class Frigate Programs: Background and Issues for Congress

Constellation (FFG-62) class program. The Navy began procuring Constellation (FFG-62) class frigates in FY2020. Prior to November 2025, Navy plans called for procuring a total of at least 20. Six were procured through FY2025, including one per year in FY2020-FY2023, two in FY2024, and none in FY2025. The Navy’s proposed FY2026 budget did not request the procurement of any additional FFG-62s. FFG-62s are being built by Fincantieri/Marinette Marine (F/MM) of Marinette, WI. The FFG-62 design is derived from the design of an Italian-French frigate. Subsequent to the Navy’s April 2020 contract award to F/MM for designing and building up to 10 FFG-62s, the program fell years behind schedule due in large part to delays in completing the FFG-62 design. In June 2025, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (who is using “Secretary of War” as a “secondary title” under Executive Order 14347 dated September 5, 2025) indicated that the FFG-62 program was being reviewed as one of several “difficult decisions” to be made by the Department of Defense (DOD) (which is “using a secondary Department of War designation” under Executive Order 14347) during a review of its acquisition programs. Announced FF(X) program. In a series of announcements from November 25 to December 19, 2025, the Navy stated that it wants to restructure its frigate acquisition effort by (1) truncating the FFG-62 program to no more than two ships and (2) initiating a new program to procure a different class Navy frigates, called FF(X)s, whose design would be based on that of the National Security Cutter (NSC), a frigate-like ship that has been built for the Coast Guard by Huntington Ingalls Industries/Ingalls Shipbuilding (HII/Ingalls) of Pascagoula, MS. Under the Navy’s desired new approach, the third through sixth FFG-62s (which have not begun construction) would be cancelled; the first two FFG-62s (construction of which is underway) would remain under review; the first FF(X) would be awarded to HII/Ingalls on a sole-source basis and be launched (i.e., put into the water for the final stages of its construction) by 2028; and one or more additional U.S. shipyards would later be brought into the FF(X) program to expand the FF(X) production rate and compete with HII/Ingalls for future ships in the program. The Navy envisages building a notional total of 50 to 65 FF(X)s. In announcing its desired new approach for acquiring frigates, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan stated that “the Constellation-class frigate was canceled because, candidly, it didn’t make sense anymore to build it. It was 80% of the cost of a [larger DDG-51 class] destroyer and 60% of the capability. You might as well build destroyers.” The continuation, for now at least, of construction work on the first two FFG-62s reportedly is intended to support F/MM in the near term, while policymakers assess how F/MM’s shipbuilding capability could be used over the longer run. As of November 25, 2025, the first ship in the FFG-62 program was reportedly about 12% complete. An issue for Congress is whether to approve, reject, or modify the Navy’s desired approach for restructuring its frigate acquisition effort. Decisions that Congress makes on this issue could substantially affect U.S. Navy capabilities and funding requirements, and the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.