The U.S. Navy's new frigate could pack a serious punch; think laser weapons and missiles
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Navy originally conceived of the FFG(X) frigate as a small, inexpensive warship with modest combat capabilities that would complement the fleet's bigger, pricier, and more sophisticated destroyers and cruisers. The National Interest reports. Continue reading original article
The Military & Aerospace Electronics take:
6 Feb. 2019 -- Yet in the five years since Navy leaders decided they needed a new frigate, the FFG(X) has grown in sophistication. Construction on the new warship should start next year, and could feature many of the same weapons and sensors as bigger ships, as well as space and power for future upgrades.
An FFG(X) and its complement of missiles could be around 400 feet long and displace around 5,000 tons, depending on the design the Navy selects, making it roughly half as big, in terms of displacement, as an Arleigh Burke -class destroyer.
The Navy plans to equip the class with a wide array of weapons and sensors. Its radar and combat system will be a smaller version of the Aegis system that equips the Navy's destroyers and cruisers, and the new ship could have 150-kilowatt laser weapons and an anti-submarine missile.
Related: Navy looks to modified littoral combat ship design to serve as next-generation frigate
Related: A once-proud class of U.S. Navy surface warships is quickly fading away
John Keller, chief editor
Military & Aerospace Electronics
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