S. Korea, Japanese, Turkish warships being considered for new U.S. frigate competition: report

The United States is considering frigate designs from South Korea, Japan, and Turkey for a new class of warships, according to a report by USNI News. The White House and the U.S. Navy are exploring the possibility of awarding a competition, which could include building up to two ships in foreign shipyards before transitioning to U.S. yards.

The warship designs under consideration include the Chungnam-class guided-missile frigate built by South Korean shipbuilders, the export version of the FFM Mogami-class guided-missile frigate from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, and the Istanbul-class guided-missile frigate built by Turkish shipyards. This move would mark a departure from over a century of U.S. domestic naval construction.

In July, President Donald Trump signed a national security memorandum permitting foreign shipbuilders to build up to two ships in their parent shipyards for delivery to the United States. Following this, Acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao tasked the office of the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Research, Development, and Acquisition with overseeing a study on international combatants, roll-on, roll-off cargo vessels, and consolidated cargo replenishment at sea (CONSOL) tankers for Military Sealift Command.

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