According to information published by the Department of Defense on May 20, 2021, Marinette Marine Corp., Marinette, Wisconsin, is awarded a $553,891,420 fixed-price incentive (firm target) and firm-fixed-price modification to previously awarded contract N00024-20-C-2300 to exercise options for detail design and construction of one Constellation-class guided-missile frigate, future USS Congress (FFG 63), and integrated digital environment support.
Follow Navy Recognition on Google News at this link
Future Constellation-class frigate USS Congress FFG-63 (Picture source: US Navy)
Work will be performed in Marinette, Wisconsin (52%); Boston, Massachusetts (10%); Crozet, Virginia (8%); New Orleans, Louisiana (7%); New York, New York (6%); Washington, D.C. (6%); Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin (3%); Santa Fe Springs, California (2%); Minneapolis, Minnesota (2%); King of Prussia, Pennsylvania (1%), Cincinnati, Ohio (1%); Atlanta, Georgia (1%); and Chicago, Illinois (1%), and is expected to be completed by January 2027.
Fiscal 2021 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy) funds in the amount of in the amount of $553,891,420 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
USS Congress (FFG-63) will be the second ship of the Constellation class of guided-missile frigates and the seventh ship in the United States Navy bearing this name. She is named in honor of the first USS Congress, one of the original six frigates of the United States Navy.
The Constellation class is a class of multi-mission guided-missile frigates under development for the United States Navy as a follow-on to the modular littoral combat ship.
The Constellation-Class frigate will have a length of 151.8 m, a draft of 5.5 m, a beam of 19.7 m, and an LS displacement of 6,016 tons. The ship will be powered by a diesel-electric and gas (CODLAG) propulsion system including one gas turbine, two electric motors, 4 ship service Diesel generators, and one auxiliary propulsion system. She will be able to reach a maximum speed of 26 knots with a maximum cruising range of 6,000 nautical miles at a speed of 16 knots.
The Constellation-Class will be armed with one Mk 110 57mm naval gun, 32 Mk 41 VLS (Vertical Launching System), 16 NSM Naval Strike anti-ship Missiles, one Mk 49 RAM surface-to-air missile system, and four Mk 53 MOD 9 DLSs (Decoy Launching Systems).
