Pentagon budget 2025: US Navy maintains course for surface shipbuildin…

The US Navy's FY 2025 budget request seeks more funding for a Constellation-class frigate. (US Navy)

The proposed US Navy (USN) fiscal year (FY) 2025 budget requests funding to continue proposed programmes for guided-missile destroyers (DDGs) and guided-missile frigates (FFGs).

The FY 2025 request includes USD6.5 billion for two Flight III Arleigh Burke-class DDGs and enough money to cover full funding for another two of those ships, according to budget documents released on 11 March.

Included in the FY 2024 request is USD4.5 billion for two ships. The five-year Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) ending in FY 2029 included with the request calls for 10 Flight II DDGs to be procured.

These Flight III ships include new radar and electronic warfare capabilities. To see more about those efforts, see Flight risk: With more USN destroyers under contract, focus turns towards operational testing

The FY 2025 request also includes USD1.2 billion to procure the seventh Constellation-class frigate, compared to USD2.2 billion requested in FY 2024 for two FFGs.

The shipbuilding plan for FFGs calls for alternating years of single-ship and double-ship buys. The FY 2025 request calls for seven ships to be procured across the FYDP.

Also included is USD107.7 million for research and development to fund further maturing the design of the ship's combat system and command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) elements to support ship construction, according to budget documents.

The requested FY 2025 funds will focus on improving the frigate's antisubmarine warfare capabilities with the continued development of the variable depth sonar featured with the Combined Active Passive Towed Array Sonar (CAPTAS) design.

FY 2025 funding is also meant to support the land-based engineering site and testing and evaluation.