Navy cancels four Constellation-class frigates

The U.S. Navy has canceled the next four planned Constellation-class guided-missile frigates as the service reevaluates its fleet composition and acquisition strategy, according to multiple public reports and Navy budget documents.

The move won’t impact the first two ships in the class, Constellation (FFG-62) and Congress (FFG-63), which are under construction at Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin. The decision was reported by USNI News, which cited Navy officials familiar with the revised shipbuilding plan.

“We are reshaping how the Navy builds its fleet. Today, I can announce the first public action is a strategic shift away from the Constellation-class frigate program,” said Secretary of the Navy John Phelan on X. “The Navy and our industry partners have reached a comprehensive framework that terminates, for the Navy’s convenience, the last four ships of the class, which have not begun construction.”

The Constellation-class program—intended to produce 20 multi-mission frigates—has faced repeated delays since the first ship, USS Constellation (FFG-62), began construction in 2022. Navy budget documents released earlier this year show that the lead ship is now running more than three years behind schedule, with delivery slipping from 2026 to at least 2030. Follow-on hulls have also been delayed as design and production issues continue.

Navy officials have signaled since early 2024 that cost growth, workforce shortages, and supply-chain pressures across U.S. shipyards were prompting a reassessment of surface combatant procurement. The service emphasized the need to prioritize programs tied to readiness, missile defense, cyber capabilities, and industrial-base resilience.

According to the Navy’s FY 2025 shipbuilding plan, the service intends to move toward a fleet mix that includes fewer small surface combatants while accelerating investments in unmanned systems and emerging technologies. The cancellation of the four frigates reflects that shift, while still preserving the core of the 20-ship Constellation program.

The Navy has not issued a formal press release on the cancellations, but senior leaders have acknowledged in public statements that the frigate program requires additional design maturity and production stability before expanding the order. Fincantieri has previously said it remains committed to delivering the first ships and improving production efficiency as the design stabilizes.

The Constellation class—based on the European FREMM frigate—is intended to fill a gap between the now-retired Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates and larger Arleigh Burke-class destroyers. The ships are designed for anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, air-defense operations, and escort missions.

Congress will ultimately decide whether the Navy’s revised plan moves forward. Lawmakers have previously pushed back on surface-fleet reductions and may seek more information before approving the canceled hulls in the final budget.

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