The Navy is on track to complete the new FF(X) frigate design by the end of this month, according to a service official.

Following the Navy’s decision to scrap the Constellation-class frigate program last year, the service announced HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding would design and build a new frigate, based on the HII-built Legend-class National Security Cutter already in use by the Coast Guard.

According to recent budget documents, one frigate will be procured in fiscal year 2027 for $1.4 billion and completion of the critical design review for the lead ship is scheduled for May 2026.

“The Navy is continuing to make progress and remains on track to achieve the stated milestone,” a Navy official told Inside Defense this week.

Design efforts for FF(X) will include modifications from the NSC vessel and will aim to align the frigate with the Navy’s containerized payloads initiative. The frigate will primarily act as a “command ship for tailored offsets, including robotic and autonomous systems,” according to budget documents.

“Frigate will take the same validated flight-upgrade approach as our Arleigh Burke DDG-51 program -- incorporating improvements over successive flights to evolve the ship's capabilities over time,” budget documents state. “Flight I Frigates will have minimal adaptations from the existing NSC to start production as quickly as possible.”

Modifications will include the incorporation of Navy weapons, combat systems, producibility enhancements, while future flights might add expanded capabilities like vertical launch systems and anti-submarine warfare systems, the documents add.