(See) FFG(X) / Constellation-Klasse - Fregattenprogramm der US Navy

[Schneemann]

US Navy states fourth Constellation-class frigate to commission in 2029

The Constellation class will have multi-mission capability to conduct air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electronic warfare, and information operations. [...] The US Navy has stated that the fourth Constellation-class guided missile frigate will be named USS Lafayette (FFG 65), with the vessel scheduled to commission in 2029. [...]

The difficulties experienced by the LCS also appear in part to have been the motivation behind the US decision to initiate the FFG(X) programme, now known as the Constellation class, which will deliver up to 20 frigates into USN service.

At between $500-600m per ship, the Constellation class is around 50% more expensive per ship than the LCS, although as a much larger warship (7,200t fully loaded) than the LCS Independence variant (3,400t full loaded) and Freedom variant (~3,500t), it necessarily has greater capability, and crucially, survivability.

https://www.naval-technology.com/news/us...sion-2029/

Schneemann

[Schneemann]

Meldung zum Baubeginn der ersten FFG(X) von Anfang September 2023:

US Navy: Baubeginn der Constellation-Klasse

Die amerikanische Tochter des italienischen Fincantieri-Konzern, Fincantieri Marinette Marine, hat am 31. August mit dem Bau der ersten Fregatte der Constellation-Klasse auf der konzerneigenen Werft in Wisconsin begonnen. Wie aus der Pressemitteilung des für das Projekt zuständigen Programmbüros der US Navy hervorgeht, soll Baunummer 1, die „USS Constellation“ (FFG 62), im Jahr 2026 ausgeliefert werden. Die Klasse wird nach dem Namen des ersten Schiffes sowie als FFG 62 und FFG(X) bezeichnet. [...]

Der Baubeginn der „USS Constellation“ erfolgt fast zweieinhalb Jahre nachdem Fincantieri im April 2020 den Zuschlag erhielt. [...] Gegenüber dem als Grundlage dienenden italienischen Fremm-Design, wird die Constellation-Klasse 7,13 Meter länger (151,20 Meter) und auf Höhe der Wasserlinie 1,10 Meter breiter sein (18,1 Meter), womit sich die Tonnage um rund 520 Tonnen erhöht (7.400 Tonnen). Der Sonardom im Bug entfällt ebenso wie der achtere Mast der Fremm. [...]

Die erste Fregatte der Constellation-Klasse erhält vier diesel-elektrische Antriebe von MTU. Fincantieri Marinette Systems (FMM) hat Rolls-Royce mit der Lieferung der Antriebsaggregate beauftragt (ESuT berichtete). Die Gensets basieren auf Motoren des Typs MTU 20V 4000 M53B, die eine Gesamtleistung von zwölf MW für den Antrieb und die Bordstromversorgung liefern. [...]

In einer Berichterstattung an den US-Kongress werden die Kosten der ersten Einheit mit 1,281 Milliarden USD beziffert.

https://esut.de/en/2022/09/meldungen/364...on-klasse/

Schneemann

[Schneemann]

Wiederbelebung einer alten Debatte...

Does The Navy’s New Constellation Class Frigate Have Enough Vertical Launch Cells?

Recent events in the Red Sea again raise questions about whether 32 vertical launch cells is adequate for the Constellation class frigates. [...]

Debates about the Constellation's vertical launch capacity reflects broader concerns, including how these cells might be reloaded at sea in a major conflict, across the Navy as a whole. The underlying issues here have come into sharp relief recently as the service's vessels have been shooting down dozens of Houthi anti-ship ballistic and cruise missiles and drones and launching strikes on the group in Yemen. [...]

Though intended to perform many of the same missions as the Constellation class frigates, both the Freedom and Independence class LCSs have been especially criticized for their very limited armament packages. Their continued lack of air and missile defense capability on the LCSs for anything but close-in defense has been particularly glaring. Freedom and Independence class ships have been prominently absent from the current crisis in and around the Red Sea, which is by definition a littoral combat environment, underlying the ambiguous use case and poor return on investment of these ships many years after they entered into Navy service. [...]

When it comes to vertical launch system (VLS) capacity, there had been questions about the configuration of the Mk 41 array for Navy's new frigates even before the FREMM-based design was selected. The original threshold requirements for FFG(X), a program that was first announced publicly in 2017, called for just 16 VLS cells. By the time competition was over, this had increased to 32.

For comparison, each of the Navy's Flight I and II Arleigh Burke class destroyers have 90 Mk 41 VLS cells. Flight IIA and other subsequent subvariants of the Arleigh Burke have 96 cells. The service's trio of Zumwalt class destroyers feature Mk 57 VLS arrays, derived from the Mk 41, with 80 cells in total (these ships are also getting all new large vertical launch tubes primarily for firing hypersonic missiles). The Navy's Ticonderoga class cruisers, the last of which are slated to be decommissioned before the end of the decade, have 122 Mk 41 VLS cells apiece. All of these ships are, of course, notably larger than Constellation.

https://www.twz.com/news-features/does-t...unch-cells

Schneemann

[ede144]

Wiederbelebung einer alten Debatte...
https://www.twz.com/news-features/does-t...unch-cells

Schneemann

Die Diskussion läuft in amerikanischen Foren seit es Pläne dafür gab.

[Kopernikus]

Man hat ja gegenüber dem ersten Entwurf die Zahl der VLS-Zellen auf 32 verdoppelt.

[Nightwatch]

32 VLS Zellen für eine Fregatte reichen in einer Marine mit perspektivisch 100 Zerstörern und 10.000 VLS Zellen allemal. Erst recht wenn die Munitionsbestände schon die vorhandenen VLS kaum füllen können.

Notfalls könnte man anstatt der 16 (!) NSM auch zusätzlich SeaRAM oder ESSM Starter mitführen.

[Schneemann]

Greece announces plans for joint production of Constellation-class frigates

Greek Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias has announced that the country is interested in the joint production of a modified version of the Constellation-class frigates being built for the US Navy (USN). Dendias' comments were made following a meeting with the defence minister of the Republic of Cyprus on 29 January.

“On 16 January we received a letter from the US Navy accepting in principle our interest in the co-design and co-production of up to seven new Constellation-class frigates in Greek shipyards,” Dendias said. If an agreement could be reached, Dendias added, Greece would be able to participate in the programme from the beginning and could accordingly contribute to designing and customising the ships according to the needs of the Hellenic Navy.

The Constellation-class frigate design is derived from the Italian Navy's Bergamini-class FREMM (Frégate Européenne Multi-Mission) frigates. Four ships are being built for the USN at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, with total procurement of up to 16 further units planned.

https://www.janes.com/defence-news/naval...s-frigates

Schneemann

[Vanitas]

Der FREMM-Entwurf taugt der US-Navy nicht so recht oder was von "Man baut nach einem bereits vorhandenen Entwurf" übrig blieb:

Beim amerikanischen Projekt rund um die neuen Lenkwaffenfregatten kommt es bereits in einem frühen Stadium zu erheblichen Verzögerungen. Das erste Schiff der Constellation-Klasse sollte im Jahr 2026 ausgeliefert werden, dieser Termin wurde jedoch nun auf 2029 verschoben.
[...]
Anfang des Jahres ordnete US-Marineminister Carlos del Toro einen 45-tägigen Überprüfungsprozess an, der zeigte, dass die Verzögerung bereits fast drei Jahre betrug. Als Gründe für die Verzögerungen werden vom Schiffbauer verschiedene Gründe genannt. Es gibt Probleme in der Lieferkette und auch vor Ort mangelt es an Fachkräften. Um dieses Problem zu lösen, sind 50 Millionen Dollar der US-Marine an Marinette geflossen, um Arbeiter durch Prämien zum Verbleib auf der Werft zu bewegen und neue Arbeitskräfte anzuwerben. Darüber hinaus gibt es Probleme beim Design der Schiffe. Das ursprüngliche FREMM-Design musste erheblich geändert werden, um den amerikanischen Anforderungen zu entsprechen, was zu Problemen führt. Beispielsweise möchte die US-Marine Schiffe, die mehr Schaden aushalten als die europäischen Varianten. Dies hat zu erheblichen Veränderungen geführt. Anfangs entsprachen die Schiffe zu 85 Prozent den europäischen FREMMs, mittlerweile liege dieser Anteil bei 15 Prozent, schreibt USNI News auf Basis von Quellen. Der Studie zufolge ist der Entwurf derzeit zu etwa 80 Prozent fertig.

marineschepen.nl (übersetzt mit google translator)

[Schneemann]

Kiellegung des Typschiffes:

Fincantieri Lays Keel Of First Constellation-Class Frigate

Fincantieri Marinette Marine held a keel laying ceremony for the future USS Constellation (FFG 62), April 12 in Marinette, Wisconsin. [...] “USS Constellation and the Constellation-class frigates are a critical next step in the modernization of our surface ship inventory, increasing the number of players on the field available globally for our fleet and combatant commanders,” said Secretary Del Toro.

Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Lisa Franchetti joined Secretary Del Toro during the historic occasion.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/202...s-frigate/

Schneemann

[Schneemann]

US Navy exercises $1bn option for next two Constellation-class frigates

The US Navy has committed $1bn in FY24 funding to the detail design and construction of vessel five and six in the Constellation-class frigate programme. [...]

Marinette Marine has been awarded a more than $1bn fixed-price modification to exercise options for the detail design and construction of the next two Constellation-class guided missile frigates (FFG 66 and FFG 67) due to enter service with the US Navy. [...] The contract modification was revealed in a 23 May 2024, notice by the US Department of Defense, with 51% of the work due to be performed at Marinette Marine’s site in Wisconsin. The entire $1.04bn in cost was obligated at the time of the award, which will come from FY24 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds.

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro announced the same day that FFG 66 would be named USS Hamilton, following on from USS Constellation (FFG 62), USS Congress (FFG 63), USS Chesapeake (FFG 64), and USS Lafayette (FFG 65).

https://www.naval-technology.com/news/us...s/?cf-view

Schneemann

[Kos]

Overall, the design commonality between the Constellation and FREMM may now be as low as 15 percent, according to USNI News.

"The Constellation class frigate will be three years late and will take nearly 10 years to deliver the lead ship. This is largely because the Navy cannot keep its requirements steady. Almost 70 percent of the requirements have changed since the Navy signed a contract," Wicker said.

https://www.twz.com/sea/navys-new-conste...-is-a-mess

Sieht so aus als wäre die Constellation-Klasse ein Schuss in den Ofen und das nachdem Debakel mit den LCSen.

[Milspec_1967]

Anscheinend wurde sogar mit dem Bau begonnen, bevor das 3D Design fertig war bzw den üblichen Stresstest (Design Review) bestanden hat.
( voller Artikel nur für Abo) :
https://www.janes.com/defence-news/naval...ery-delays

Ich hoffe mal, das das bei F-126 alles normal verlief.
Die Meldungen waren entsprechend :
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/F126_frigate
https://dmkn.de/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/output3.pdf
https://defence-network.com/baubeginn-de...asse-f126/

Im militärischen Schiffbau Design ist das "Elon Musk Raketen Bau Prinzip" (Wir bauen und verheizen Test Raketen so lange, bis wir aus den Fehler gelernt haben und es funktioniert) leider nicht sehr Steuerzahler freundlich...

[Schneemann]

U.S. Navy Comments on FFG 62 Frigate’s Lack of Tracker Illuminator System and Design Changes

An April 2024 Congressional Research Service Report stated that the U.S. Navy’s new USS Constellation-class frigates do not have a tracker illuminator system to guide semiactive radar-homing missiles to their targets. Naval News asked the U.S. Navy to comment on this issue and what is causing frigate program delays. [...]

In late April 2024, Naval News contacted the U.S. Navy’s Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) for comment on the CRS report. During an additional follow-up call months later, the NAVSEA spokesperson said the media inquiry went to the U.S. Navy at the Pentagon for answers. In July 2024, NAVSEA responded with the following comment from the U.S. Navy regarding the FFG 62 frigate design’s lack of a tracker illuminator system.

“While the FFG 62 weapon system shares commonality with other AEGIS surface combatants, it is designed to meet a different set of missions and requirements. Installation of fire control illumination is not required to meet the Constellation Class frigate requirements.” (U.S. Navy spokesperson)

To better explain the tracker illuminators, Defense Industry Daily provides this brief: “The 3rd component, the AN/SPG-62 X-band radar `illuminators,’ which designate targets for final intercept by air defense missiles; DDG-51 destroyers have 3, and CG-47 cruisers have 4. During saturation attacks, the AEGIS combat system must time-share the illuminators, engaging them only for final intercept and then switching to another target.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/202...n-changes/

Schneemann

[Ottone]

Kryptischer geht es kaum, zu 99% der eigentlichen Frage ausgewichen.

[Milspec_1967]

Wieso?
Ist genau richtig beantwortet.
Die vorgesehenen und publizierten AAW-LfK Waffensysteme der Constellation Class benötigen keine Mid Course Guidance mehr.
Somit auch keine Uralt Beleuchter.