Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 2:01:36-2:02:05

A limited Constellation buy could bridge the US frigate gap

Completing roughly a dozen Constellations could bridge the gap while the US Navy develops a lighter replacement more deliberately.

Constellation Class FrigatesFrigatesLittoral Combat ShipNaval ProcurementUS Navy
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Question

Would it still make sense to change or cancel Constellation if its costs had remained controlled?

Short answer

Build roughly a dozen as a bridge, cover part of the LCS gap, and use the time to develop the next frigate more deliberately.

Notes

Building about a dozen Constellation-class frigates could have made sense even without the programme's cost growth. A limited run could replace some Littoral Combat Ships and preserve time to develop a better successor. That approach accepts an imperfect ship as a bridge rather than forcing another abrupt procurement reset. Schedule and fleet continuity matter alongside ideal specifications.