NORFOLK, Va. —
To much fanfare, the Navy last month celebrated the keel authentication ceremony for the next-generation Constellation Class guided missile frigate.
"It's an agile multi-mission warship, with increased lethality and survivability," said Admiral Lisa Franchetti, Chief of Naval Operations.
But, the Navy mishandled oversight of the $22 billion program, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
The GAO says: "the Navy's decision to begin construction before the design was complete is inconsistent with leading ship design practices and jeopardized this approach."
The report says that an April 2026 delivery date "is unachievable," noting that, "the functional design remains unstable...and construction progress has effectively stalled."
The report says the shipbuilder Fincantieri Marinette Marine in Wisconsin now forecasts delivery in 2029—approximately 36 months later than planned.
Three years beyond when we were expecting it to be delivered is three years that our sailors don't have this capability, that our Navy doesn't have this capability," said GAO Contracting and National Security Acquisitions team Director Shelby Oakley.
In an interview Thursday with 13 News Now, Oakley called the findings "highly disappointing."
She added: "I think there's disappointment all around and really a recognition that things need to change."
The Navy announced this week that the same shipbuilder has been awarded more than $1 billion to construct two additional Constellation-class frigates.
Oakley said she was "a little surprised by that decision."