A senior United States Navy official said Wednesday the service aims to have a new class of frigates “in the water” by 2028, setting an accelerated timeline just weeks after formally canceling the Constellation-class program.
“We believe the future frigate can be in the water in 2028,” said Jason Potter, the Navy’s acting acquisition executive, during remarks at the Defense Forum in Washington. Potter is currently performing the duties of Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition.
According to Potter, the Navy’s updated shipbuilding approach is grounded in three core principles: stabilize, distribute, and grow.
The new timeline reflects a sharp pivot in surface combatant strategy. Late last month, Navy Secretary John Phelan confirmed the decision to cancel the Constellation-class program after only two ships—Constellation (FFG-62) and Congress (FFG-63)—are completed.
The remaining four planned hulls were canceled under revised terms with Fincantieri Marinette Marine, the Wisconsin-based shipbuilder. The company will still deliver the two lead ships currently under construction but will not proceed with hulls FFG-64 through FFG-67.
The Constellation-class, based on Italy’s FREMM design, was originally intended to fill a capability gap between the Littoral Combat Ship and larger destroyers. However, delays, cost increases, and concerns about long-term scalability led the Navy to reassess its viability.
Potter emphasized that the new frigate effort will avoid previous design risks by relying on platforms with proven service histories.
“We are focused on high-confidence U.S. designs,” he said, underscoring the Navy’s intent to work with domestic shipyards and reduce reliance on foreign-derived systems. The service is also prioritizing production methods that support faster construction schedules and lower operational risk.
Details on the new frigate class, including specifications and the lead shipbuilder, have not been formally released. However, officials have indicated it will likely draw on mature hull designs and subsystems already in use across the fleet.
