Road to 350: What Does the US Navy Do Anyway?

[Flash]

Speaking of buying warships from metric system countries, what do we think of the Constellation-class FFG? Will it become another LCS, or will it be an Arleigh Burke fleet success?

It’ll work out given enough time.

LCS had/has more fundamental issues between the platform speed requirement and mission module immaturity.

FFG sounds more like a simple unwillingness to adopt European ship standards. Unfortunately makes us look really dumb because it is way more design work (rework) than advertised, but the basic concept is entirely built around proven systems.

The Constellation-class has a well-defined mission and will fill a necessary role in the US Navy, the LCS was the result of a bunch of bright ideas thrown into a pair of blenders with the result being mix of crap instead of a nice drink that would make Jimmy Buffett proud.

 

[PhrogPhlyer]

LCS was the result of a bunch of bright ideas thrown into a pair of blenders

But it looked cool! Isn't that enough?

 

[Flash]

But it looked cool! Isn't that enough?

Reminds me of some contemporary, hipster-looking kitchen utensil.

 

[Griz882]

The Constellation-class has a well-defined mission and will fill a necessary role in the US Navy, the LCS was the result of a bunch of bright ideas thrown into a pair of blenders with the result being mix of crap instead of a nice drink that would make Jimmy Buffett proud.

Sadly I fear that mission statement is quickly being lost to the committee…from a recent report…

The U.S. Navy’s FFG-62 USS Constellation frigate program is in trouble with ballooning costs and schedule delays, and not one new guided missile frigate has been delivered to the U.S. Navy as of May 2025. The U.S. Navy wants 20 of these frigates. However, the lead ship, USS Constellation, has a delivery delay of 36 months (three years) due to the instability of the design that took an European FREMM frigate and made major structural changes such as removing the bow sonar. In fact, modifications to the FFG 62 design have resulted in commonality between the USS Constellation-class and FREMM frigate design dropping from 85% to 15%.

 

[Flash]

Sadly I fear that mission statement is quickly being lost to the committee…from a recent report… commonality between the USS Constellation-class and FREMM frigate design dropping from 85% to 15%.

That doesn't mean the Constellation-class is going to be bad, just the original of idea of saving money by taking a Euro design and making a US version is now a bit moot. From what I've seen the final product should still be a good ship, even if it costs a bit more.

The LCS on the other hand was a bad idea from the beginning and got worse as the bright idea became reality.

 

[Griz882]

That doesn't mean the Constellation-class is going to be bad, just the original of idea of saving money by taking a Euro design and making a US version is now a bit moot. From what I've seen the final product should still be a good ship, even if it costs a bit more.

The LCS on the other hand was a bad idea from the beginning and got worse as the bright idea became reality.

As an ordinary citizen I’m more or less OK with a bit more cost, but I am deeply concerned about build time. These things should be coming off the slips at five to ten a year, not one every two or three years.

 

[Hair Warrior]

If they only buy 20 of them (or less), it will be bad like the LCS. They need to buy 70+ frigates and make it a mainstay of the fleet like the Arleigh Burke. Then it becomes too big to fail. Quantity has a quality on its own. And parts commonality with the FREMM matters less of course. Not sure how just buying 20 frigates gets us on the “road to 350” if that is still a target.