HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division has been selected by the US Navy to design and build its future small surface combatant, using a derivative of the Legend-class National Security Cutter, after issues with the FREMM design.
The U.S. Navy has officially cancelled the majority of the Constellation-class frigate program, which was based on the Franco-Italian FREMM design.
The new ship will draw directly on the Ingalls-built cutter programme, which saw 10 vessels delivered to the US Coast Guard over nearly two decades, with the final ship handed over in October 2023. HII says the choice of a mature design is intended to reduce risk, accelerate delivery and provide predictable build schedules.
Announcing the selection, HII president and chief executive Chris Kastner said speed and producibility were central to the Navy’s decision. “Speed matters, and the NSC ship design is stable and produceable and will lead to predictable schedules. I have great confidence in the Ingalls team to execute this program, and in our ongoing efforts with our partners to successfully expand the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base to meet the Navy’s needs.”
I have directed a new Frigate class as part of @POTUS Golden Fleet. Built on a proven American design, in American shipyards, with an American supply chain, this effort is focused on one outcome: delivering combat power to the Fleet fast. pic.twitter.com/ovnASiHYaF
— Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan (@SECNAV) December 19, 2025
Ingalls Shipbuilding will construct the vessels alongside its existing destroyer and amphibious ship programmes in Pascagoula, Mississippi, using the same build sequence previously employed for the National Security Cutter line. The yard is currently building three major classes of warship for the US Navy, including Arleigh Burke-class Flight III destroyers, America-class amphibious assault ships and San Antonio-class Flight II amphibious transport docks. In parallel, Ingalls is also carrying out modernisation work on the Zumwalt-class destroyers, including integration of the Conventional Prompt Strike hypersonic weapon system, underlining the yard’s role across both new build and advanced upgrade programmes.
HII has invested more than $1 billion in infrastructure, facilities and tooling at Ingalls Shipbuilding in recent years, positioning the yard to support next-generation platforms and increased production rates. As part of its capacity expansion efforts, the company has distributed shipbuilding work to 23 outsourcing partners this year and has established partnerships with international manufacturers. HII has also confirmed it is evaluating options to add an additional shipyard in the United States.
No expert here but this Cutter design seems rather less ambitious than the Consternation ?
Also not sure but Is the USCG still more tonnage than the entire RN ?
It is. Smaller, less armed, lower manning requirements (100 vs 150).
It’s a slightly smaller Type-31. Gunboat diplomacy and missile sponge in combat. For some reason both the RN and USN are vying for this attributable design.
design concept*
Yes, this NSC frigate concept is much more like the first few (pre MK-41) Type-31s will be than the Constellations.
Well we still haven’t got mk41 so….
Let’s see how they make a dogs dinner out of this.
The Cutter is a good strong design .
Yes, so I read but It’s going to surely need a lot of re-designing to be a credible Frgate along the lines of the Cancelation class wish list ? Can they get this to work any better ?
I’m just curious at the whole thing.
It’s much less equipped than the FREMM. It will be like an American type-31, a few guns, underarmed, basically a missile sponge in actual combat.
Not sure this is a great idea. The rate the Arleigh Burkes are being built at, the large surface combatants numbers are going to fall way behind projected targets. Thought the plan was when Ingalls was finished with the cutters, resources would be reutilised for destroyer production. Now it looks like that will not happening, where is that boost to destroyer production going to come from?
The best solution would be to build the same Americanised version of the Type 26 that the Canadians have come up with. But no doubt the foreign heritage was an issue with the MAGAtrons.
I believe they wanted a proven design that was already at sea so T26 was never in the running.
On what planet is a coast guard cutter a warship at sea?
T26 will be at sea quite shortly.
More the issue is the NIH approach which means that the ‘mericanisation process turned it into an unbuildable mess of add ons.