The Senate Appropriations Committee is concerned the Navy may be moving too fast to add a second shipyard for Constellation-class frigate production. The Navy awarded Fincantieri Marinette Marine a contract last year to build the ship with options for the delivery of up to 10 ships total. The service is currently planning on procuring 20 frigates, though that number is expected to rise as the Navy continues to evaluate its needs for the future fleet. Capt. Kevin Smith, the frigate program manager, said in August the timing of a second shipyard is "pre-decisional." Senate appropriators released their draft of the fiscal year 2022 defense spending bill Monday, stating challenges with past first-in-class ships should be taken into account as the service builds the frigate. While the frigate is based on a proven hull design and mature shipboard technologies, the committee states in the report accompanying the bill that a new class of ship still presents the typical production challenges of cost, technical concurrency, design changes and schedule.
展开▼
