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

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SENSORS

Lockheed Martin moves ahead with integrating combat system and sensors for Constellation-class frigate. Lockheed Martin is designing the combat management system for the new frigates, based on the company's COMBATSS-21 ship combat management system.

WASHINGTON – Shipboard sensors experts at Lockheed Martin Corp. are moving ahead with initial design of the combat system aboard the future U.S. Navy Constellation-class frigate (FFG 62) under terms of a $7.9 million order announced Monday. Officials of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington are asking the Lockheed Martin Rotary and Mission Systems segment in Moorestown, N.J., for contract options for combat system ship integration and testing on the future Constellation-class frigate. [...]

COMBATSS-21 is built on an open-architecture scalable framework using non-developmental software, Lockheed Martin officials say. Custom software adapters called boundary components support sensors, communications, and weapon interfaces, and are designed to accommodate future technology insertion and system upgrades with minimal effect on the system[s core software. [...] In addition to developing the combat management system for the Navy's future Constellation-class frigates, Lockheed Martin also builds the Navy's Aegis combat system for Navy Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers at its Moorestown, N.J. facility. [...]

Shipboard electronics will include the Lockheed Martin COMBATSS-21 combat management system; AN/SPY-6(V)3 Enterprise Air Surveillance Radar (EASR); AN/SPS-73(V)18 surface search radar; AN/SLQ-61 lightweight towed array sonar; AN/SQS-62 variable-depth sonar; AN/SQQ-89F undersea warfare and anti-submarine warfare combat system; and Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC).

https://www.militaryaerospace.com/sensor...em-sensors

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Report to Congress on Constellation-class Frigate Program (FFG-62)

The Navy began procuring Constellation (FFG-62) class frigates (FFGs) in FY2020, and wants to procure a total of 20 FFG-62s. Congress funded the first FFG-62 in FY2020 at a cost of $1,281.2 million (i.e., about $1.3 billion) and the second in FY2021 at a cost of $1,053.1 million (i.e., about $1.1 billion). The Navy’s proposed FY2022 budget requests $1,087.9 million (i.e., about $1.1 billion) for the procurement of the third FFG-62, and $69.1 million in advance procurement (AP) funding for the fourth and fifth FFG-62s, which are programmed for procurement in one or more future fiscal years. [...]

As part of its action on the Navy’s FY2020 and FY2021 budgets, Congress has passed provisions relating to U.S. content requirements for certain components of each FFG-62 class ship, as well as a provision requiring the Navy to conduct a land-based test program for the FFG-62’s engineering plant (i.e., its propulsion plant and associated machinery).

https://news.usni.org/2021/07/07/report-...m-ffg-62-3

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The U.S. Navy Wants More 15 New Next-Gen Frigates

The Fincantieri Marinette Marine-engineered frigate has taken on more of its own developmental trajectory to incorporate both littoral kinds of maritime warfare capabilities as well as “open” or “blue water” combat potential.

The Navy is surging forward with its new ambitious plan to produce as many as fifteen new frigates within the next five years. Alongside that development, the military service’s plans for weapons and technology integration are taking shape. It is clear the Navy intends to architect this ship in what could be referred to as a dual-attack capacity, which means the ship will be built for both littoral warfare and “blue water” warfare on the open sea. Some of the technological indications, now being refined by the Navy through simulation, are showing great promise that such an approach is indeed achievable. [...] For instance, initial plans for the frigate years ago were not clear or certain that the ship would integrate missile-launching Vertical Launch Systems (VLS), yet the current ship under development will include as many as thirty-two VLS, Capt. Kevin Smith, the program manager of the Constellation-class frigate, told an audience at the Navy League’s Sea Air Space Symposium.

https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/u...tes-191451

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U.S. Navy Selects 57mm Mk 110 As Main Gun For New Constellation-Class Frigates

BAE Systems has received a $26 million contract to equip the U.S. Navy’s Constellation class frigates with the fully-automatic 57mm Mk 110 naval gun. [...]

The contract, awarded earlier this month, includes engineering support and calls for two Mk 110s for the USS Constellation (FFG 62) and USS Congress (FFG 63). The new Constellation class of multi-mission guided-missile frigates is designed to operate in blue water and in the littorals, for an increased forward naval presence. [...] It is a multi-mission, medium-caliber shipboard weapon, effective against air, surface, or ground threats without requiring multiple round types. The system is capable of firing up to 220 rounds per minute at an effective range of more than nine nautical miles using BAE Systems’ six-mode programmable, pre-fragmented, and proximity-fused (3P) ammunition.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/202...-frigates/

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U.S. Navy’s Constellation-Class Frigate VLS Cell Count Debate Settled

Defense Media, think tanks, critics, skeptics, and naval commentators have stated that the new U.S. Navy’s FFG-62 Constellation-class frigates, the replacement to the venerable Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigates, should have 48 Mark 41 Vertical Launch System (VLS) cells compared to the required 32 cells. [...] The CRS’s October 2021 FFG-62 frigate report provided the U.S. Navy’s answer and the deciding evidence on settling for 32 VLS cells per new frigate instead of the suggested 48. [...]

To grow from a 32 Cell VLS to a 48 Cell VLS necessitates an increase in the length of the ship with a small beam increase and roughly a 200-ton increase in full load displacement. This will require a resizing of the ship, readdressing stability and seakeeping analyses, and adapting ship services to accommodate the additional 16 VLS cells.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/202...e-settled/

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Neptune Filtration System Selected For Italian And US Navy FREMMs

When building frigates for close combat, the selection of the filtration system for the engine turbines may not seem the most vital aspect, but is essential for reliable operation and to enable the ship to respond swiftly. [...]

The Italian and, more recently, US Navy have both commissioned FREMM (Frégates Européennes Multi-Missions) and FFG62 Constellation Class Guided Missile Frigates respectively, built by a major Italian ship builder at its Italian and US shipyards. The aero derived gas turbines powering these ships, and configured for marine applications will be protected by Parker altair® Neptune filtration systems.

The leading Parker altair® Neptune filtration systems are designed to ensure a clean, reliable supply of air to the gas turbine inlet. Downstream Salt concentration is 0.0025ppm v NGTE 30 knot aerosol. Equivalent to 99.93% salt removal efficiency, vital for offshore operation.

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/202...vy-fremms/

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U.S. Navy’s Constellation-Class: New Frigate To Start Construction This Year

U.S. Navy CAPT Kevin Smith, program manager (PMS 515) of the Constellation-class frigate, provided the latest updates on the program, during the Surface Navy Association (SNA) 2022 National Symposium held in Washington between 11-13 January. [...]

During his presentation at the symposium, Captain Smith emphasized that the Constellation-class is a frigate, not a destroyer, and that it should not be expected to carry the same weapon load as DDGs. However, he highlighted that the new frigates will relieve DDGs by performing escort missions to protect high-value assets. [...] The Secretary of the Navy has already named the first three ships, Constellation (FFG-62), Congress (FFG-63) and Chesapeake (FFG-64). Fincantieri has been awarded two of those ships. In terms of the President’s budget focus areas, the third ship, the future USS Chesapeake, is an exercise option that they will consider this fiscal year (2022). Concerning the project’s timeframe, the current agenda on the slides is as follows:

FY22 Focus Areas:

– Completing Frigate Class Detail Design:
• Critical Design Review (CDR) 2QFY22
– Start Lead Ship (FFG 62) Construction:
• Production Readiness Review (PRR) 3QFY22
– Continue AEGIS Combat System Development and Integration efforts
– Complete Fincantieri Capital Improvement Projects at Marinette and Sturgeon Bay
– Continue Propulsion Land Based Engineering Site (LBES) Development at NSWC Philadelphia [...]

https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/202...this-year/

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US Navy Looks Again At VDS Options For New Frigate

The U.S. Navy's Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) this week issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a Variable Depth Sonar (VDS) System for the future Constellation-class frigate. [...]

Thales with the CAPTAS-4 system seems to be a strong candidate to equip the Constellation-class. [...] Naval News learned from a number of sources over the past couple of months that French defense electronics company Thales and its CAPTAS-4 system was being considered to be fitted aboard the future frigates of the U.S. Navy. Sources include a French member of parliament, two different naval shipbuilding sources and several French Navy sources. Those sources were directly involved with the matter or familiar with it because they have heard about ongoing talks.

Contacted by Naval News this week, a Thales spokesperson could not confirm or deny that the company will indeed answer NAVSEA’s RFI. The spokesperson however did confirm that a total of 80 CAPTAS systems (across all variant: CAPTAS 1, 2 and 4) have been sold to date. Thales also confirmed to us that CAPTAS-4 has already been integrated and tested with the U.S. Navy’s AN/SQQ-89 Undersea Warfare Combat System. This was done in the 2010-2012 time frame as part of the Advanced Demonstration Model (ADM) for the U.S. Navy LCS program. For this program, Thales was competing against Raytheon and eventually lost.

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

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Raytheon to build land-attack missile with imaging infrared seeker and fire control for new Navy frigate [...]

WASHINGTON – Surface warfare experts at Raytheon Technologies Corp. are continuing their work to develop the U.S. Navy's next-generation anti-ship and land-attack missile for the littoral combat ship and FFG(X) future multimission guided-missile frigate.

Officials of the Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington announced a $102.7 million order Tuesday to the Raytheon Missiles & Defense segment in Tucson, Ariz., for the Over-the-Horizon Weapon System (OTH-WS). [...] Raytheon is building the new missile in partnership with Kongsberg Gruppen in Kongsberg, Norway. The missile is to equip the littoral combat ship and FFG(X) future frigate with stand-off surface-to-surface weapons capability. [...] Aboard ships, NSMs can be deck-mounted in packs of one, two, three, four, or six launchers. The NSM weighs about 880 pounds and has a range of about 100 nautical miles.

https://www.militaryaerospace.com/sensor...red-seeker

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Navy Awards $537M Option for Third Constellation Frigate Chesapeake

The Navy has awarded a $537 million contract option to shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine for the third Constellation-class frigate, according to a Thursday Pentagon announcement. The contract modification for the detail design and construction of Chesapeake (FFG-64) follows Constellation (FFG-62), awarded in 2020, and Congress (FFG-63), awarded in 2021.

Combined with government-furnished equipment, the first ship’s total cost will be about $1.3 billion, according to Navy budget documents. Marinette’s Wisconsin shipyard will build the 7,300-ton frigate, which is based on Fincantieri’s FREMM multi-mission design used by the French and Italian navies. [...]

The service was expected to buy two frigates a year starting in FY 2023, but alternate between one and two awards a year for a total of buying three every two years. Over the next five years, the service anticipates buying seven of the FFGs for a total of ten if the Navy exercises all of the contract options, according to its FY 2023 budget submission.

https://news.usni.org/2022/06/16/navy-aw...chesapeake

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Navy asks Raytheon to build land-attack and anti-ship missile with imaging infrared seeker and fire control

The OTH-WS missile has imaging infrared seeker, onboard target database, and navigates by GPS, inertial sensors, and terrain-reference systems. [...]

WASHINGTON – Surface warfare experts at Raytheon Technologies Corp. will continue developing the U.S. Navy's next-generation anti-ship and land-attack missile for the littoral combat ship, FFG(X) future multimission guided-missile frigate, and other vessels under terms of a $57.1 million order announced Friday. [...] Raytheon engineers will build and deliver OTH-WS encanistered missiles loaded into launching mechanisms and a fire-control suite. Raytheon won a potential $847.6 million contract in June 2018 for the OTH-WS project. [...]

Raytheon is building the new missile in partnership with Kongsberg Gruppen in Kongsberg, Norway. The missile is to equip the littoral combat ship and FFG(X) future frigate with stand-off surface-to-surface weapons capability.

https://www.militaryaerospace.com/sensor...r-antiship

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[Ottone]

Es stellt sich sofort die Frage nach dem Unterschied zwischen FNSM (Future NSM) und dem OTH-WS Projekt. Neu gegenüber scheint die Fähigkeit der Terrainverfolgung zu sein.

Raytheon will build a NSM fire-control suite with operator interface, interfaces to the launchers, engagement planning system, and interface to host ship systems like GPS and inertial navigation systems. Its fire-control system will be able to launch from four to 16 missiles.

On this order Raytheon and Kongsberg will do the work in Kongsberg and Raufoss, Norway; Tucson, Ariz.; Schrobenhausen, Germany; Louisville, Kentucky; De Soto, Texas; and Huntsville, Ark., and should be finished by September 2025.

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US Navy Commences Construction Of 1st Constellation Class Frigate

Fincantieri Marinette Marine officially began construction of the first Constellation-class frigate for the U.S. Navy on Aug. 31, 2022, at its facilities in Marinette, Wisconsin.

The first Constellation Class Guided Missile Frigate, a highly capable and survivable multi-mission warship, will begin construction Aug. 31 at Fincantieri Marinette Marine shipyard in Marinette, Wisconsin. The start of construction follows a detailed Navy assessment of the maturity of the design and readiness of the shipyard to begin construction through a successful production readiness review (PRR) milestone on July 20.

The future USS Constellation (FFG 62) is the lead ship of the Navy’s newest class of warships.

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

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Thales Started Production Of CAPTAS-4 Sonar For US Navy

Thales has confirmed that the US Navy’s FFG-62 Constellation-class frigate is to be equipped with its CAPTAS-4 low-frequency variable depth sonar (VDS). [...] The selection of CAPTAS-4 – the largest and most powerful member of the CAPTAS family of low-frequency active/passive sonars – means that the US Navy becomes the 14th customer navy for the CAPTAS line.

During a 29 August 2022 roundtable at the Pentagon to coincide with the start of fabrication on CONSTELLATION FFG 62, our colleague Chris Cavas brought up the decision to switch from the Raytheon DART sonar to the Thales CAPTAS-4 to Rear Admiral Casey Moton, NAVSEA Program Executive Officer, Unmanned and Small Combatants

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/sna...r-us-navy/

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First Constellation-Class Frigate Set For August Keel Laying

Fincantieri confirmed to Naval News during Sea Air Space 2023 that the keel laying ceremony for the future USS Constellation is “projected for August 2023”.

Three ships of the class have been awarded to Fincantieri: The Constellation (FFG 62) in 2020, the Congress (FFG 63) in 2021, and the Chesapeake (FFG 64) in 2022. A contract for construction of the fourth ship-in-class, the yet to be named FFG 65, is expected sometime this year.

The future USS Constellation (FFG 62) is the lead ship of the US Navy’s newest class of warships. Construction of the first-in-class ship is underway. The shipyard, Fincantieri Marinette Marine officially began construction of the first Constellation-class frigate last summer.

https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/sea...el-laying/

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