(Washington, D.C.) The U.S. Navy is surging forward with a high-op tempo, fast-tracked production schedule for its new series of Constellation-class Guided Missile Frigate ships, armed warships intended to bring multiple maritime combat mission possibilities to include littoral and deep or “blue” water missions.
The service has outlined an ambitious production schedule for the new class of ship, built by Fincantieri Marinette Marine, and plans to fund as many as 15 of the new vessels over just the next five years.
This is likely one reason why Naval Sea Systems command has just announced that it has awarded FMM a contract to build the second ship, the future USS Congress. This, to be built in FMM’s shipyard in Wisconsin, is the same location where the first-in-class Frigate is beginning construction.
A Navy statement on the ship said it will operate with a varied mission set to include “air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electronic warfare, and information operations.”
Interestingly, while engineered with a slightly more shallow draft than heavier cruisers and destroyers, the new Frigates are in part intended to support littoral, coastal missions while at the same time operate with a clear and decided capacity to engage in massive ocean warfare on the open sea.
Heavily Armed Ships
The ship is heavily armed with Vertical Launch Systems able to fire interceptor missiles linked with Aegis Radar fire control to fire off ballistic missile defense weapons. VLS are capable of firing SM-3 and even Tomahawk missiles. The newest iteration of Lockheed’s Aegis radar is called Baseline 10, an advanced integrated system of radar, software, fire control and even targeting technology intended to conduct both air and cruise missile ship defense as well as ballistic missile defense.
These kinds of attributes certainly could help defend against any kinds of incoming land-launched ballistic missile or anti-ship missiles. The ship is also armed with a weapon called the Naval Strike Missile, a deck launched over the horizon weapon intended to offer longer-range offensive firepower for the ship.
