The Constellation-class frigate project, valued at $22 billion and once publicly praised by Donald Trump as “the most beautiful — they look like yachts,” has been identified as one of the U.S. Navy’s least effective programs over the past year. This finding comes from a previously undisclosed report sent to Congress.
Prepared by the Navy’s acquisition division, the report doesn’t single out the frigate alone. Also listed as underperforming are: the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) system for aircraft carriers, a new long-range anti-radiation missile by Northrop Grumman, the MQ-25 Stingray aerial refueling drone by Boeing, and the Ship-to-Shore Connector hovercraft by Textron for the Marine Corps.
The report was delivered to four Congressional defense committees in mid-January. While Navy officials declined to explain why these five systems were labeled ineffective, citing “Controlled Unclassified Information,” the delays and budget overruns have triggered frustration from the White House. This was reflected in an April executive order from Trump addressing military procurement issues, noting that nine Navy shipbuilding programs were behind schedule by one to three years.
The Constellation-class frigate, being built by a Fincantieri SpA subsidiary in Wisconsin, is reportedly running about three years behind schedule, with delivery now expected in 2029 instead of the original 2026 timeline.
At the Republican National Convention last year, Trump referenced the contract awarded to Wisconsin in 2020 and noted that he had “tweaked the design.” “They’re the most beautiful — they look like yachts,” he said.
Fincantieri spokesperson Eric Dent stated he had not seen the Navy’s report but emphasized the company is ramping up frigate production. In a statement, the Navy’s shipbuilding command explained that delays stem primarily from the complexity of integrating multiple design elements — not from technological barriers. The program is expected to be formally approved by the end of the month, following improved coordination and increased engineering support funded by the Navy over the past 17 months.
Also mentioned in the report is Boeing’s MQ-25 program, which has experienced a minimum two-year delay in initial production due to design and manufacturing issues. “We’re on track for our first flight later this year,” said Troy Rutherford, Boeing’s vice president for the program.
Textron, whose Ship-to-Shore Connector program had earlier issues with propeller blades and gearboxes, stated that it has now established an efficient production line. Thirteen hovercraft have been delivered, with another 14 in production or testing.
