Navantia selected for Conceptual Design of the FFGX program for the U.S. Navy

The Government of the United States has selected the team formed by the American shipyard and prime contractor General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and the Spanish ship designer and shipyard Navantia for the Conceptual design of the FFGX program.  The FFGX Program looks for the acquisition of 20 frigates with construction in the United States.

Using as reference design the Australian variant of the F-100 frigate, it will be adapted by Navantia and GD Bath Iron Works to the requirements of the U.S. Navy. The frigate F - 100 'Alvaro de Bazán' is the only ship its class that has been proven producible in different shipyards and different countries. The F-100 currently has 11 units operating, including its variants the Australian Hobart class and the Norwegian F310 Fridtjof Nansen class, with an expected total of 13 units sailing in 2019.

Conceptual Design contract will have an extension of 16 months, ending in mid-2019 when the team will respond to a RFQ for the final award for the Detail Design and Construction contract of the ships, planned to be in 2020. 

Navantia has a strong history of exporting complex warships, including to Norway and Australia. Navantia has repeatedly proven itself as a valuable partner to Bath Iron Works over nearly forty years, where we have worked together on the Spanish Oliver Hazard Perry/Santa María FFG, the AFCON corvette project, and the Australian Hobart Class DDGs.

“It is a great honour for Navantia to be able to work with Bath Iron Works again, offering our design capabilities to the United States.” said José Esteban Garcia Vilasanchez, chair of Navantia S.A.

Navantia’s expertise in frigate design and its successful track record of global exports made the partnership a natural one for Bath Iron Works. In order to ensure the program runs to cost and schedule, the US Navy requires designs that are based on a parent-design already in service.

With bids based on the F-100/Hobart Class already submitted for the Australian Future Frigate program and the Canadian Surface Combatant program, Navantia can offer seamless commonality between these important allies and five-eyes partners.

The FFG(X) project will provide Combatant and Fleet Commanders a uniquely suitable asset to achieve select sea control objectives and perform maritime security operations while facilitating access in all domains in support of strike group and aggregated fleet operations.

With this contract award for the FFGX program, along with the Australian SEA-5000 and the Canadian Surface Combatant program, make Navantia with its F-100 variants the only company that is currently competing in the three mayor frigate programs that are developing in the world.

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