L3Harris Technologies [LHX] said Monday it won a contract valued at upward of $300 million to provide Constellation
-class FFG-62 guided-missile frigate shipboard integrated and major subsystem production from prime shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine.
L3Harris said it is the largest member of Fincantieri’s frigate team and will “provide integrated systems” including electric and propulsion systems, bridge and navigation systems and aviation integration services.
The total value of $300 million would occur “if all design, development, and production options are awarded,” but the company did not reveal the initial contract amount.
The company said the capabilities it has been directed to provide will distribute the power and propulsion needs for the new frigate.
The Navy first awarded Fincantieri a $795 million contract to start building the frigates last April, with options that would rise to $5.6 billion total if all 10 planned frigates are built. The FFG-62 is based on the multi-mission FREMM frigate used by the French and Italian navies (Defense Daily, April 30).
The Navy previously planned to purchase up to 20 frigates, but in December the Navy released its 30-year shipbuilding plan that projected adding a second shipyard to build more total frigates faster than planned. It is not yet known if the Biden administration plans to change that (Defense Daily, Dec. 10).
“We’re excited by the opportunity to join the Fincantieri Marinette Marine team on the Frigate program and we look forward to bringing to bear industry-best speed, innovation and affordability as we deliver the advanced integrated capabilities that will ensure the Navy’s ability to operate this ship with impunity upon any sea,” Sean Stackley, president of Integrated Mission Systems at L3Harris, said in a statement.
L3Harris will conduct this work at Fincantieri’s Marinette, Wis., shipyard where the ship is being built.
Previously, in December, General Electric [GE] revealed it won a contract from Fincantieri for an undisclosed amount to provide the same gas turbine to power the Constellation-class frigate as is already used in the European FREMM ship (Defense Daily, Dec. 16).