A rendering of a U.S. Navy frigate to be built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (Image courtesy Fincantieri Marinette Marine)
(WTAQ-WLUK) — The U.S. Navy is canceling four ships that were to be built at Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
Navy Secretary John Phelan announced the cancellation of the Constellation frigate program on Tuesday.
He called the change a strategic shift that would aid the Navy’s readiness to meet current threats.
“We greatly value the shipbuilders of Wisconsin and Michigan,” Phelan said. “While work continues on the first two ships, those ships remain under review as we work through this strategic shift.”
He added, “Keeping this critical workforce employed and the yard viable for future Navy shipbuilding is a foremost concern.”
Fincantieri issued this statement Tuesday:
Fincantieri has been a committed partner, and the Navy values this partnership, our investment and together we want to rapidly deliver capabilities to warfighters, so we believe that the Navy will honor the agreed framework and channel work in sectors such as amphibious, icebreaking, and special missions into our system of shipyards, while they determine how we can support with new types of small surface combatants, both manned and unmanned, that they want to rapidly field. The key is to maximize the commitment and capabilities our system of shipyards represents.
In a news release, Fincantieri said it expects to receive new orders “to deliver classes of vessels in segments that best serve the immediate interests of the nation and the renaissance of U.S. shipbuilding, such as amphibious, icebreaking and other special missions.”
In 2020, during President Donald Trump’s first term, the Navy awarded Fincantieri Marinette Marine a contract that called for as many as 10 Constellation-class frigates and could have been worth as much as $5.5 billion. The company opened a new facility for building the ships in 2023.
Fincantieri Marinette Marine is also building military ships for Saudi Arabia under another Navy contract.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin said in a statement:
I take great pride in representing Wisconsin’s shipbuilding industry in Washington because our workers have helped keep America safe for generations. And today’s news is a blow to that legacy, a blow to our national security, and a blow to our Made in Wisconsin economy. The frigate program is held up by the thousands of skilled Wisconsin workers, and the administration’s decision pulls the rug out from under them and puts their livelihoods at risk. I am deeply disappointed in the Trump administration letting China get the upper hand on us and turning their backs on this key program and the Wisconsin workers who make it possible. The Secretary of the Navy made promises to send other shipbuilding work to Wisconsin to stabilize the workforce but promises aren’t good enough. I call on the administration to immediately share its shipbuilding action plan for supporting Wisconsin workers.
U.S. Rep. Tony Wied said in a statement:
I share the Navy Secretary’s view that Wisconsin’s shipbuilding workforce is essential to meeting President Trump’s goal for a larger and more capable fleet. That’s why I will continue to fight for our shipbuilders and work with my House colleagues and the Trump Administration to ensure we provide significant and consistent funding for future shipbuilding projects right here in Wisconsin’s 8th District.
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