Frigates are
designed to operate in lower threat
environments
and while there is a great deal of
overlap between the type of missions
that cruisers, frigates and destroyers
can perform. Frigates are generally less
heavily armed with less capable radar
systems and a smaller weapon loadout.
This is not to say that frigates are not
useful. Frigates can provide navies with a more
economical solution for low threat tasks. Pairing less capable but more
cost-effective frigates with cruisers
and destroyers has been called a
high-low mix and a solution for
providing navies with a platform to
conduct peacetime operations and combat
missions.
To that end, frigates can undertake
humanitarian aid and disaster relief and
anti-piracy operations and escort or
training. Engagement missions with allied
countries while able to keep pace with
more capable naval ships and conduct
anti-surface warfare and to submarine
ops and air defense operations.
Building new a new ship class from
scratch is no easy task and not always
cheap either. the us navy is keenly aware of this
after their last from scratch classes. The freedom and independence class of
literal combat ships ballooned in price, triggering a congressionally mandated
production halt.
To protect the new constellation-class
frigates from a similar fate, the navy is
using a parent design approach that
modifies an existing frigate design to
the needs of the US Navy.
The navy hopes that this approach will
reduce design time and cost, keep
production on schedule and help reduce
technical design challenges. The parent design is the frem
multi-purpose frigate built by
fincantieri marinette marine, an italian
shipbuilder.
Though somewhat larger than the italian
parent, the navy expects that much of the
design will remain the same. particularly
the ship's propulsion and bridge.
In keeping with the typical frigate
mission profile, the new constellation
class will be multi-mission small
surface combatants capable of conducting
anti-air warfare, anti-surface warfare
and to submarine warfare and
electromagnetic warfare operations, according to congressional research
service documentation.
In addition
the new class is to be capable of
operating in both blue water and literal
area and capable of operating either
independently or as part of larger navy
formations.
Ultimately the US Navy would like the
constellation class frigates to be very
flexible, sink over the horizon surface
ships, help escort surface ship groups in
part by detecting enemy submarines and
defending convoys while networking with
larger surface ships.
These are tasks
that frigates have traditionally
undertaken and would free up higher end
and more expensive destroyers to
undertake other roles.
Still, the constellation class would be
no slouch at sinking enemy ships. Once it
enters service, one of the classes
potential armaments could be the naval
strike missile, a potent over the horizon
ship killer.
Though currently aboard the navy's
literal combat ships, the naval strike
missile has great potential across the US. Navy.
Additionally the newest extended range
harpoon anti-ship missile could further
augment the constellation class
firepower. Although the first of the US Navy's new
constellation class frigates have yet to
leave shipyard,s the first 15 holes are
expected by 2026.
