U.S. Navy considers Korean, Japanese and Turkish frigates for new warship program

The United States is considering frigate designs from Korea, Japan, and Turkey for a new class of warships, a news report said Wednesday, as it seeks cooperation with trusted allies to rebuild its navy and shipbuilding industrial base.

Citing three industry sources, USNI News, the U.S. Naval Institute's news outlet, reported that the White House and the U.S. Navy are considering the designs from the countries for a competition that could include building up to two of the ships in foreign shipyards before transitioning to U.S. yards.

The frigate designs under consideration include the Chungnam-class guided-missile frigate built by Korean shipbuilders, the export version of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' FFM Mogami-class guided-missile frigate and the Istanbul-class guided-missile frigate built by several Turkish shipyards, according to the report.

The move to procure foreign-built warships would break with more than a century of U.S. domestic naval construction, the report pointed out.

Korea has been carrying out a project to build a total of six Chungnam-class frigates. Of the six, HD Hyundai Heavy Industries built the lead ship, while SK Oceanplant is building three and Hanwha Ocean the remaining two.

Last month, U.S. President Donald Trump signed a national security memorandum permitting foreign shipbuilders to build up to two ships in their parent shipyards for delivery to the United States.

After the memo, acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao directed the office of the assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition William Mahan to oversee a study on international combatants, roll-on roll-off cargo vessels and consolidated cargo replenishment at sea (Consol) tankers for Military Sealift Command, the outlet said.

The assessment is due Nov. 12.

Korea and the United States have been stepping up shipbuilding cooperation as Seoul has committed to investing $150 billion in the U.S. shipbuilding sector as part of a total $350 billion investment pledge under last year's bilateral trade and investment deal.

Yonhap