An artist rendering of the U.S. Navy guided-missile frigate FFG(X). (U.S. Navy)
By Troy Turner
PASCAGOULA, Miss. – The U.S. Navy announced today an almost $283 million contract with HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding for startup work to prepare a production line for the future FF(X) class frigate.
Work will be performed in Pascagoula, where almost 2,000 of the company’s nearly 11,000 employees commute from Alabama, Ingalls officials told AlaDefense.com.
The FF(X) will be a new class of frigates intended to replace the Navy’s recently cancelled Constellation-class frigate program, the Navy announced last December.
“The FF(X) will be a smaller, more agile surface combatant designed to complement the fleet’s larger, multi-mission warships and enhance operational flexibility around the globe,” the Navy reported.
While its primary mission will be surface warfare, its ability to carry modular payloads and command unmanned systems enables it to execute a broad spectrum of operations.
“Small surface combatants have always been essential to the fleet, handling a wide range of missions where a large warship isn’t required. The FF(X) will continue this vital role, and will take on more routine operations, enhancing the fleets operational flexibility, adaptability and mission readiness,” the Navy said.
The contract announced today allows Ingalls Shipbuilding to procure long lead-time material, execute design work and begin pre-construction activities for the first ship.
“We are proud of our past performance in engineering, design and production of warships that meet U.S. military standards, a performance that gave the Navy confidence to select the national security cutter as the basis for the next small surface combatant and to choose Ingalls as the program’s lead yard,” said Brian Blanchette, Ingalls Shipbuilding president, in a company press release.
Under this contract, expected to be completed by April 2028, Ingalls Shipbuilding will begin cutting and shaping raw material to support future phases of work on the main structure foundation and the overall construction sequencing plan of the first frigate.
Ingalls Shipyard
In December 2025, the U.S. Navy selected Ingalls Shipbuilding to design and build the future FF(X), leveraging the stable and proven design of the Legend‑class national security cutter (NSC). Ingalls previously delivered 10 NSCs to the U.S. Coast Guard and will use the same proven build sequence for the FF(X) program.
The new frigates will be constructed alongside the shipyard’s already-busy production lines that support DDG 51 Flight III destroyers, LHA assault ships, LPD Flight II amphibious transport docks, and modernization activities for the Zumwalt‑class guided missile destroyers.
Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting agency.
Troy Turner is the editor and senior consultant for AlaDefense.com. He can be reached at [email protected]. His bio can be found here.
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