The term “frigate” is central to the Navy’s surface warfare strategy, but as of today the United States Navy does not have any ships officially designated as frigates in active service. This article explains the current state, historical context, and what’s on the horizon with the Constellation-class program. It covers why the count matters for fleet architecture, modernization plans, and how the Navy frames its future surface combatants around the frigate objective.
Current State Of Frigates In The Fleet
As of the mid-2020s, the United States Navy does not operate ships with an active “frigate” designation. The ships historically labeled as frigates in U.S. service were type FFGs, such as the Oliver Hazard Perry-class (FFG-7). Those hulls were progressively retired or reassigned to other roles starting in the late 1990s and continuing through the 2010s and early 2020s. The Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) program, which has different mission sets and is not officially categorized as a frigate, replaced some littoral and surface warfare needs but did not carry the frigate designation on launch. As a result, there are zero ships currently designated as frigates in active U.S. Navy service, with the fleet instead relying on a mix of destroyers, cruisers, and specialized surface combatants for theater and littoral operations.
Historical Context: From FFGs To Modern Surface Combatants
Historically, the U.S. Navy’s frigates were the Oliver Hazard Perry-class (FFG-7). These ships were built for anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface operations, and escort duties. They conformed to a mid-1980s design philosophy that emphasized range, manning, and multi-mission capability. In the post-Cold War era, many Perry-class ships were retired or transferred, and the U.S. Navy shifted toward larger, higher-endurance platforms. The Littoral Combat Ship program introduced the Freedom and Independence classes (LCS-1/5 and LCS-2/4, respectively) to operate in near-shore environments with modular mission packages. While LCSs expanded surface combatant presence in littoral regions, they never adopted the official frigate designation, complicating the official frigate count for the fleet in the eyes of traditional tagging.
The Littoral Combat Ship Debate And Its Relevance To Frigates
The LCS program sparked debates about how best to project surface warfare power close to shore. Proponents highlighted speed, maneuverability, and modular mission packages as advantages, while critics pointed to survivability concerns and higher maintenance costs. The Navy’s eventual emphasis shifted toward recapitalizing with new, more capable ships built around a robust air-defense and anti-ship/anti-submarine envelope. Although LCSs filled a gap in certain theaters, the official frigate count has remained at zero because the fleet did not classify these vessels as frigates in current doctrine and designation practice.
Constellation-Class Frigate (FFG-62 And Beyond): The Path To A 21st-Century Frigate
The future of U.S. Navy frigates centers on the Constellation-class program. Often described in public discourse as the next generation of U.S. surface combatants, these ships are being designed to deliver enhanced air defense, anti-ship, anti-submarine, and strike capabilities with modern sensors, networking, and survivability features. The program aims to produce a sizable number of hulls, with initial plans referencing around 20 ships to significantly bolster deployed capability and fleet resilience. The lead ship is associated with hull designation FFG-62, USS Constellation, marking a formal return to the frigate label in US Navy planning. The Constellation-class ships are intended to integrate advanced radar, vertical launch systems, and electronic warfare capabilities, aligning with current combat requirements and modern risk profiles.
What This Means For Fleet Architecture And Readiness
The shift back toward a dedicated frigate-class platform signals several changes in fleet architecture. First, it provides a more balanced mix of power projection, fleet air defense, and persistent littoral presence than a pure destroyer-centric approach. Second, the Constellation-class ships are designed with modularity in mind, enabling upgrade paths for weapons, sensors, and cyber-resilience that align with evolving threat landscapes. Third, the procurement strategy and scaled production plan aim to provide predictable life-cycle costs and robust sustainment pathways, ensuring the Navy maintains a credible, ready to deploy surface combatant in a contested environment.
Numbers And How The Navy Counts Frigates
In practical terms, the Navy’s current frigate count is zero, due to the absence of officially designated frigates in active service. When Constellation-class ships begin entering service, the total will increment as hulls are commissioned and deployed. Public statements and budget documents from the Department of Defense and Navy leadership describe the plan in terms of modules, hull numbers, and capability milestones rather than fixed annual counts. It is important to note that naval terminology evolves; official classification and the first-in-class designation serve as the anchor for the frigate count going forward.
Operational Implications For Allies And Partners
For U.S. allies, the introduction of Constellation-class frigates represents a significant capability enhancement in distributed maritime operations and alliance interoperability. Modern frigates are designed to operate alongside other surface combatants and air defense networks, contributing to integrated air and missiles defense, surface warfare, and anti-submarine tasks. The platform’s survivability and networking capabilities align with a shared strategy of deterrence and freedom of navigation in contested regions. Partners can expect alignment in training, logistics, and command-and-control integration to maximize the frigates’ effectiveness in combined operations.
Operational Readiness And Maintenance Considerations
New classes bring initial learning curves in maintenance and crew training. The Constellation-class program emphasizes a long-range sustainment plan, commonality with existing ships, and modern digital architecture to reduce maintenance burdens while increasing readiness. As these ships enter the fleet, expect progressive improvements in availability, mission package integration, and real-time data sharing with allied fleets. The Navy’s approach includes rigorous testing, contractor support, and evolving maintenance concepts to ensure mission readiness across deployments.
Summary: How Many Frigates Does The US Navy Have?
Today, the United States Navy has no ships officially designated as frigates in active service. The navy’s frigate count will rise with the introduction of the Constellation-class, beginning with hull designation FFG-62 (USS Constellation) and subsequent ships. This transition reflects a strategic emphasis on a modern, capable, and networked surface combatant designed to address contemporary threats while integrating with allied naval forces. In the near term, the Navy continues to rely on a combination of destroyers, cruisers, and other surface combatants to fulfill mission requirements while the frigate program matures.