The Constellation-Class Frigate Tragedy

How the Navy Lost Its Resolve—and With It, a Generation of Capability

In this white paper, SMA CEO Ajay Patel examines the U.S. Navy’s cancellation of the Constellation-class frigate (FFG(X)) program as a failure of governance and institutional resolve—not of engineering feasibility or acquisition design.

The paper argues that the program’s original premise—adapting a mature, serially produced parent design to restore production discipline and expand the surface-combatant industrial base—remained viable well into execution. What undermined Constellation was the gradual erosion of senior ownership as Navy-directed design changes accumulated without a formal re-baseline of cost, schedule, or governance. Over time, a heritage-based adaptation became a de facto new ship, while decision-making authority diffused and accountability weakened.

Drawing contrasts to historically recovered programs such as the C-17, Patel shows that recovery paths for Constellation existed, were understood, and were fundable. The decisive failure was the unwillingness to openly reset assumptions and absorb the political and managerial cost of recommitment. The resulting cancellation, the paper contends, damages more than a single program—it signals to industry and Congress that persistence under pressure is optional, weakening long-term capability development and industrial resilience.

Download the full PDF to explore the detailed analysis, historical comparisons, and lessons this case offers for governing complex defense programs under sustained pressure.