US Constellation-class frigate 759 tons heavier than planned

The Navy's new Constellation-class frigate is already hundreds of tons overweight, and it's not even finished

According to a report from the Government Accountability Office, the lead ship in the Constellation-class has packed on 759 metric tons more than planned

That's a 13% increase, raising serious concerns about speed, stability, and long-term performance at sea

These frigates were meant to fill the gap between small coastal ships and full-size destroyers, fast, flexible, and built with room for future tech

So far, the Navy has ordered six of the frigates, from FFG-62 through FFG-67, and plans to build at least 20

But the lead ship, the USS Constellation, is still under construction in Wisconsin and only about 10% complete

The livery has already slipped from 2026 to 2029 and the price tag grown from billion to roughly billion for each ship

Originally, the Navy aimed to adapt the European Fram Frigate, keeping 85% of the original design

but now only 15% remains unchanged. Most of the added features come from the Navy

and those changes help drive up the weight. The Constellation-class frigate will be three years late and will take nearly 10 years to deliver the lead ship

This is largely because the Navy cannot keep its requirements steady. Almost 70% of the requirements have changed since the Navy signed a contract

Congress pressed pause on future orders of the frigates until the Navy can stabilize the design and the scale

But some lawmakers say it may be time to reconsider the program altogether

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