The Navy has confirmed that its FF(X) Flight I patrol frigate design by HII Ingalls Shipbuilding passed a critical design review earlier this year, moving the project into pre-production activities. Rear Adm. Casey Moton, the service’s portfolio acquisition executive, outlined the progress during a presentation at the American Society of Naval Engineers Fleet Maintenance and Modernization Symposium. This development follows the cancellation of the Constellation-class guided-missile frigate program late last year, which prompted the Navy to pursue new options for a next-generation small surface combatant.

A parallel foreign design study is now underway, examining potential international alternatives such as Japan’s Mitsubishi Heavy Industries FFM Mogami-class frigate, South Korea’s Chungnam-class frigate, and Turkey’s Istanbul-class guided-missile frigate. The White House has directed the Navy to apply a “Finland Model” approach — similar to the Coast Guard’s Arctic Security Cutter program — where foreign-built hulls are initially constructed overseas before transitioning to U.S. production. This strategy aims to leverage existing global supply chains while building domestic shipbuilding capacity.

The Navy awarded a $282 million contract in April for long-lead items related to the FF(X) program, supporting early material procurement. PAE Maritime is currently conducting a mandated 90-day review of foreign ship designs, coordinating with Navy and Pentagon stakeholders as part of the response to a presidential study. Moton emphasized that no final decisions have been made regarding the path forward, stating only that all options remain under consideration.

Fincantieri Marinette Marine, the builder of the Constellation-class frigates, is also preparing an export variant of its FREMM EVO guided-missile frigate for potential U.S. adoption. CEO George Moutafis noted that the shipyard’s supply chain infrastructure from the Constellation program could be adapted with minimal modifications to avoid design delays. He suggested that the Navy could accelerate development by adopting proven foreign designs rather than pursuing entirely new architectures.

The White House’s assessment of foreign small surface combatant options is scheduled for release on November 12, which will likely shape the next phase of the Navy’s acquisition strategy. No official timeline has been established for final design selections or construction commencement.