The U.S. Navy is preparing to roll out the first warship in its new frigate class by 2028 as part of President Donald Trump‘s newly authorized “Golden Fleet.”
Secretary of the Navy John Phelan directed construction of the new class based on an existing U.S. Coast Guard ship design, he announced in a video on Friday.
“To expand capacity and production across our maritime industrial base, we will acquire these ships using a lead yard and competitive follow-on strategy for multi-yard construction,” Phelan said. “Shipyards will be measured against one outcome: delivering combat power to the [Golden Fleet] as fast as possible.”
Huntington Ingalls Industries, the nation’s largest military shipbuilder, was selected by the Navy to design and build the small surface combatant ship. The Mississippi-based company previously built the Legend-class national security cutter for the Coast Guard.
“We look forward to supporting the Navy on this critical program,” HII President and CEO Chris Kastner said in a statement. “Speed matters, and the NSC ship design is stable and produceable and will lead to predictable schedules. I have great confidence in the Ingalls team to execute this program, and in our ongoing efforts with our partners to successfully expand the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base to meet the Navy’s needs.”
Earlier this month, Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth approved the Golden Fleet. Little is known about what kinds of ships will be included in the full fleet, but the new design is its first addition.
Navy Adm. Daryl Caudle stressed that the newly announced frigate class is an “American design” that will be built by American workers. The Trump administration wants to boost the domestic shipbuilding industry instead of relying on the ship designs of foreign countries.
The Navy canceled its Constellation frigate design last month after facing delays for years in getting the program off the ground. The design from Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri was ordered by the first Trump administration in 2020.
Caudle cited operations in the Red Sea and the Caribbean to justify the need for a new ship.
“Like the Medium Landing Ship, leveraging a complete design and production baseline approach will allow the Navy and shipbuilders to reduce costs, schedule, and technical risk,” the admiral said. “We know this frigate design works. We know it operates with the Fleet, and most importantly, we know how to build it.”
“We’re done admiring the problem,” Phelan added. “Our focus is on readiness. With a smart, quick, affordable build, we will deliver the capacity our war fighters need.”
NAVY SECRETARY JOHN PHELAN TOUTS GETTING ‘HULLS IN THE WATER’ AT ARMY-NAVY GAME
Last weekend, the secretary emphasized that Trump is prioritizing getting more “hulls in the water” to solidify the nation’s place as a leading “sea power” meant to deter China and other foreign adversaries.
Trump met with Hegseth, Phelan, and Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought in the Oval Office on Dec. 3 to discuss the Navy’s plan for a cost-effective Golden Fleet.
