Navantia  

The Australian Air Warfare Destroyer – the second in class HMAS Hobart is seen here – is the third surface combatant based on a variant of Navantia’s F-100 design, and will now also competing for the US Navy’s FFG(X) competition

The Australian Air Warfare Destroyer – the second in class HMAS Hobart is seen here – is the third surface combatant based on a variant of Navantia’s F-100 design, and will now also competing for the US Navy’s FFG(X) competition

Navantia has been selected by the United States Government, together with its local partner the American shipyard General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, for the Conceptual Design phase of the FFGX frigate program. 

The objective of the FFGX program is the acquisition of 20 frigates with local construction in the USA, the reference design being that of the Australian frigate AWD class Hobart, itself derived from the F-100 class. Navantia and GD Bath Iron Works will adapt this design to the requirements of the US Navy. 

The Conceptual Design contract will have a duration of 16 months, at the end of which the bid for the selection of the 20 frigates constructor, scheduled for 2020, will be presented. 

The FFGX program will equip the United States Navy Fleet Command with adequate capacity to achieve the objectives of sea control and maritime security operations, in addition to allowing support for naval combat groups and other support operations to the fleet. 

Export success of the frigate 
The relationship between Navantia and GD Bath Iron Works goes back more than 40 years, with the collaboration in the Santa María class frigates program of the Spanish Navy, for which the American company transferred its technology to Navantia, then called Bazán. Other programs such as the AFCON corvette, the AWD program for the Australian Navy and the OPC patrol project for the US Coast Guard are joining this collaboration. 

Navantia’s experience in the design of frigates with proven capabilities, and its successful record on the global export market, were key factors for the establishment of the teaming with Bath Iron Works, one of the leading shipyards in the world in the construction of frigates and destroyers. 

The Class F-100 "Alvaro de Bazán" frigates and its derivatives have proven capabilities, with 11 units currently in service and another two that will soon be delivered, for three naval forces of the first order, the Spanish, Norwegian and Australian navies. 

This pre-selection for the FFG(X) program, together with the Australian SEA5000 and the Canadian Surface Combatant programs, makes Navantia the only shipbuilding company that currently competes in the three largest international programs of frigates that are being developed in the world: Australia, Canada and the USA.