SECNAV Unveils New U.S. Frigate Program Based on USCG Cutter

Three weeks after announcing that they were canceling the Constellation-class frigate program, Secretary of the Navy John Phelan announced a new program designed to quickly get ships into service cost-effectively. The new FF(X) small combatant Phelan announced would be based on the Legend-Class National Security Cutter, and he predicted the first hull would be in the water in 2028.

In a video statement posted online, Phelan called the cutter a proven design that is already protecting America. He cited the advantages of having a proven design that is already supported by an established logistics and supply network. He asserted that the FF(X) is engineered for rapid, cost-effective production to get badly needed ships into the U.S. fleet.

He called the new frigate a key part of Donald Trump’s vision of the Golden Fleet. Furthermore, he said the design is a highly adaptable vessel, calling small surface combatants an essential part of the fleet. The Navy said that while its primary mission will be surface warfare, the design has the ability to carry modular payloads and command unmanned systems, which enables it to execute a broad spectrum of operations.

Chief of Naval Operations, Admiral Darryl Caudle, asserts the U.S. Navy’s fleet is currently a third of what is needed. He said the Navy needs more small combatants to “close the gap.”

The Legend-Class National Security Cutter design was developed by HII, and the 10 vessels currently in service were all built by HII’s Ingalls yard. It is the largest cutter in the USCG fleet, measuring approximately 4,700 tons displacement and 418 feet (127 meters). The first of the vessels, Bertholf, was commissioned in 2008, with the latest ship commissioned in 2024. The order for one additional ship was canceled, while the current plan called for a total of 12 ships.

The new design is significantly smaller than the guided missile frigate design of the Constellation. Those vessels were designed to be 7,300 tons displacement and 496 feet (151 meters) in length. The first two remain under construction while four follow-on orders were canceled.

HII has been lobbying that the cutter design would be a strong base for new frigates. It proposed two designs to the Navy, which instead proceeded with the Constellation class.

I have directed a new Frigate class as part of @POTUS Golden Fleet. Built on a proven American design, in American shipyards, with an American supply chain, this effort is focused on one outcome: delivering combat power to the Fleet fast. pic.twitter.com/ovnASiHYaF

— Secretary of the Navy John C. Phelan (@SECNAV) December 19, 2025

Phelan emphasized that the new program was designed for speed, saying they would use the same approach as the Arleigh Burke class of guided-missile destroyers, which the Navy has been building and modifying since the late 1980s. Phelan said the FF(X) would be built “smart from the start,” and upgraded over time.

“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,” said Adm. Caudle. “We know this frigate design works, we know it operates with the fleet, and most importantly, we know how to build it now.”

The plan calls for appointing a lead yard for the project while the USN also works to expand capacity and production. They are planning a competitive follow-on strategy for multiple-yard construction. No details were provided on the number of vessels they expect to build in the class.