Washington: The United States is considering frigate designs from South Korea, Japan, and Turkey for a new class of warships. This decision comes as the U.S. seeks collaboration with trusted allies to rebuild its navy and shipbuilding industrial base.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the White House and the U.S. Navy are evaluating these international designs for a competition that might initially involve building up to two ships in foreign shipyards before transitioning production to U.S. facilities. The designs under consideration include the Chungnam-class guided-missile frigate from South Korea, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' export version of the FFM Mogami-class from Japan, and the Istanbul-class frigate from Turkey.
This initiative marks a significant shift from over a century of U.S. domestic naval construction. Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a national security memorandum allowing foreign shipbuilders to construct up to two ships in their parent shipyards for delivery to the United States. Following this, acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao instructed William Mahan, the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development, and acquisition, to lead a study on international combatants and other naval vessels for the Military Sealift Command.
The study is expected to be completed by November 12, 2026. In addition, South Korea has pledged to invest $150 billion in the U.S. shipbuilding sector as part of a broader $350 billion investment commitment under the bilateral trade and investment agreement established last year.