The Connies
By 
My latest at National Security Journal takes a look at the Constellation frigate project. This was supposed to be simple, straightforward, and low risk… and it hasn’t worked out quite as hoped.
In the 2000s, it was hoped that the Littoral Combat Ship could fill the gap left by the classic frigates. Unfortunately, the failure of the Littoral Combat Ship program paved the way for the Connies. Both Austal and Lockheed Martin submitted their respective versions of the LCS for consideration as the basis for the new frigate, and both were rejected (Lockheed Martin withdrew its proposal during the process). Instead, the FREMM was selected because of the maturity of the design, relatively low cost, and success in international service.
Of course, the US Navy made some adjustments to the original project. The Constellations will displace some 7200 tons, bigger than most foreign destroyers (and bigger than the FREMM) but considerably smaller than the Arleigh Burkes. They are designed to reach about 26 knots with a crew of less than 200 officers and men, offering the economy that larger ships lack.
I’ll grant that the coolest part of the project is the naming convention; three are drawn from the original Six Frigates (Constellation, Congress, and Chesapeake) and three from Revolutionary War heroes (Lafayette, Hamilton, and Galvez).
Other links:
- Strangely enough naming one of the Connies after Congress doesn’t seem to have made Congress happy with the Connies.
- With any luck Chris Kempshall will join us on the LGM podcast next month…
- Mark Kelly is part of the effort to rebuild US shipbuilding capacity.
- Trying to assassinate Putin would be, like, very bad.
- Japan-South Korea relations actually seem to be going kind of OK.
- Queer Veterans in the Greatest Generation.