• Please take a moment and update your account profile. If you have an updated account profile with basic information on why you are on Air Warriors it will help other people respond to your posts. How do you update your profile you ask?

    Go here:

    Edit Account Details and Profile

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

Flash

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Hair Warrior said:
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?
Click to expand...

BigRed389 said:
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.
Click to expand...

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

PhrogPhlyer

Two heads are better than one.
pilot
None
Flash said:
LCS was the result of a bunch of bright ideas thrown into a pair of blenders
Click to expand...
But it looked cool! Isn't that enough?
iu
 
Griz882

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Flash said:
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.
Click to expand...
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

Flash

SEVAL/ECMO
None
Super Moderator
Contributor
Griz882 said:
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%.
Click to expand...

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

Griz882

Frightening children with the Griz-O-Copter!
pilot
Contributor
Flash said:
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.
Click to expand...
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

Hair Warrior

Well-Known Member
Contributor
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.
 
Randy Daytona

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
breakingdefense.com

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon's RDT&E budget revealed - Which next-gen systems get a cash influx in FY26? - Breaking Defense

Breaking Defense obtained a copy of the Defense Department's FY26 budget request for RDT&E Programs. Here's what you should know.
breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com

On a program by program basis, the biggest standout is an estimated $75 million for the F/A-XX program. Compared to the $1 billion R&D funding the program once projected, the FY26 request is unlikely to be enough to meaningfully progress the sixth-generation strike fighter towards a contract as industry has hoped would soon come, and could functionally cancel the program.
 
BigRed389

BigRed389

Registered User
None
Randy Daytona said:
breakingdefense.com

EXCLUSIVE: Pentagon's RDT&E budget revealed - Which next-gen systems get a cash influx in FY26? - Breaking Defense

Breaking Defense obtained a copy of the Defense Department's FY26 budget request for RDT&E Programs. Here's what you should know.
breakingdefense.com breakingdefense.com

On a program by program basis, the biggest standout is an estimated $75 million for the F/A-XX program. Compared to the $1 billion R&D funding the program once projected, the FY26 request is unlikely to be enough to meaningfully progress the sixth-generation strike fighter towards a contract as industry has hoped would soon come, and could functionally cancel the program.
Click to expand...
I’d imagine in this environment, between DOGE and the tech bros, and all the people questioning the Chinese hypersonics killing all carriers on Day 1, pitching the need for a uniquely different sixth gen jet from the USAF F-47 will probably make people throw up all over themselves.

Not saying anything on the engineering viability, just a comment on the political environment
 
Randy Daytona

Randy Daytona

Cold War Relic
pilot
Super Moderator
BigRed389 said:
I’d imagine in this environment, between DOGE and the tech bros, and all the people questioning the Chinese hypersonics killing all carriers on Day 1, pitching the need for a uniquely different sixth gen jet from the USAF F-47 will probably make people throw up all over themselves.

Not saying anything on the engineering viability, just a comment on the political environment
Click to expand...
I was listening to Drachinifel the other day and he speculated that with the rise of drones, we would see a return to gun systems - roughly 40mm to 76 mm - added to warships. Any thoughts?
 
JTS11

JTS11

Well-Known Member
pilot
Contributor
BigRed389 said:
I’d imagine in this environment, between DOGE and the tech bros, and all the people questioning the Chinese hypersonics killing all carriers on Day 1, pitching the need for a uniquely different sixth gen jet from the USAF F-47 will probably make people throw up all over themselves.

Not saying anything on the engineering viability, just a comment on the political environment
Click to expand...
Apparently, the cost of retrofitting a petro-state Kingdom's unwanted 747 to AF1 standard is a national secret. Maybe we could squeeze some dollars out of that shit. Pete doesn't seem comfortable here.

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top