How a middling Chinese guided-missile frigate unnerves Japan, Taiwan and the US
- Under an August 2026 directive, the US Department of Defense is evaluating guided-missile frigate designs from Japan, South Korea, and Turkey to bridge capability gaps following the Constellation-class program's cancellation.
- The US Navy canceled four Constellation-class hulls in November 2025 after unit costs surged to $1.5 billion and weight growth exceeded 10%, leaving the fleet struggling against China's 395-ship navy.
- Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao ordered a review due Nov. 12, 2026, exploring a 'Finland model' where allied yards build the first two hulls before transferring technology and serial production to US shipyards.
- This procurement plan breaks with over a century of domestic naval construction policy, facing steep pushback from Congress, where draft Fiscal Year 2027 defense bills seek to restrict funding for foreign-manufactured warships.
- While importing designs could bridge capability gaps, the approach requires accepting technical and strategic trade-offs, including dependence on overseas components that may complicate maintenance and wartime sustainment.
13 Articles
13 Articles
S. Korean, Japanese, Turkish warships eyed for US frigate competition: report
WASHINGTON — The United States is considering frigate designs from South Korea, Japan and Turkey for a new class of warships, a news report said Wednesday, as it is seeking cooperation with trusted allies to rebuild its navy and shipbuilding industrial base. Citing three industry sources, USNI News, the U.S. Naval Institute's news outlet, reported that the White House and the U.S. Navy are considering the designs from the countries for a competi…
The U.S. Navy is reportedly reviewing vessels built in South Korea, Japan, and Turkey as candidates to acquire new frigates. A plan to build an initial batch overseas before shifting production to the United States is also being discussed. On November 1 (local time), USNI News, a media outlet specializing in the U.S. Navy, reported that the White House and the U.S. Navy are reviewing vessel designs from South Korea, Japan, and Turkey for the new…
(Washington = Yonhap News) Correspondent Hong Jeong-gyu = A U.S. Navy cable states that guided missile frigates from South Korea, Japan, and Turkey are under consideration for naval vessels to be ordered from overseas...
US Navy considers overseas-built frigates in major policy shift - Navy Lookout
The US Navy is looking at frigate designs from Japan, South Korea and Turkey as it searches for a faster way to rebuild its surface fleet. The most radical option could see the first few vessels constructed overseas before production moves to the United States. USNI News reports that the candidates include Mitsubishi Heavy Industries’ […] The post US Navy considers overseas-built frigates in major policy shift first appeared on Navy Lookout.
US shops allied frigates to close China shipbuilding gap
The search for a new US frigate is becoming a test of whether allied shipyards can buy enough time to rebuild the country’s shipbuilding industrial base against China. This month, USNI News reported that the US is evaluating guided-missile frigate designs from Japan, South Korea and Turkey as part of a new class of warships […] The post US shops allied frigates to close China shipbuilding gap appeared first on Asia Times.
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