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The US Navy was planning to build of 20 Constellation-class guided-missile frigates. Credit: US DoD

The US Navy’s Constellation-class frigate programme has been axed amid a controversial rethink in naval procurement towards smaller – potentially uncrewed – platforms.

In a social media post late on 25 November, John Phelan, Secretary of the (US) Navy, stated the service would be “reshaping” its composition, outlining a “new strategic shift” away from the Constellation-class frigate programme.

The first-in-class vessel, the USS Constellation, is currently being manufactured at Fincantieri Marinette Marine, and will be followed by the second-in-class USS Congress. However, the remaining vessels, planned to be up to an additional 18 hulls at a cost of around $1bn per ship, have now been cancelled.

In a statement on 25 November, shipbuilder Fincantieri Marine Group said that it had reached an agreement with the US Navy “that provides for reshaping the future of the Constellation-class programme”, as it transitions towards a future model focused on “manned and unmanned vessels”.

It was planned that the Constellation class would be acquired in two batches of ten warships, in part in replacement to the failures of the previous Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) programme.

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has been forced to suspend the use of the British Army’s Ajax armoured vehicle after personnel reported symptoms of excessive noise and vibration during exercises over the weekend.

Widely reported by UK media on 25 November 2025, the move to suspend the use of Ajax comes just days after the troubled programme announced it had reached initial operating capability (IOC) with the British Army.

According to a UK Ministry of Defence spokesperson, a “small number of soldiers” reported noise and vibration during the exercise, which was immediately stopped and all personnel medically tested, revealing 30 presenting symptoms.

Callum Kaye, defence analyst at GlobalData, said Ajax was of “critical importance” to current British Army doctrine, intended to form the armoured cavalry element under the 3^rd Deep Strike Reconnaissance Strike Brigade.

“While at least an interim form of soundproofing could be implemented relatively quickly, persistent operational problems could see the brigade unable to carry out reconnaissance in force missions,” Kaye detailed.

Saab has entered into a contract with the Colombian government for the supply of 17 Gripen E/F fighter aircraft, with a total order value of €3.1bn ($3.6bn). The Swedish defence company will deliver these aircraft between 2026 and 2032.

This development follows an announcement made by Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro, who confirmed on social media platform X on 3 April that the South American country plans to acquire the JAS 39 Gripen E/F in order to meet its “strategic air defence” requirements.

Under the terms of the contract, Saab will provide Colombia with 15 single-seat Gripen E jets and two dual-seat Gripen F aircraft.

The contract also covers associated equipment, weapons systems, training programmes, and services.

Alongside the principal contract, Saab and the Colombian government have signed two offset agreements.

These agreements define the framework for military and social cooperation projects, benefiting sectors such as aeronautics, cybersecurity, health, sustainable energy, and water purification technology.

The US Army will pay for the production of 240 more Armoured Multipurpose Vehicles (AMPVs) to avoid any disruption to the continuous ordering cycle.

Originally, the service was contracted to purchase 2,907 AMPVs back in January 2019 to replace its legacy fleet of M113s, of which there are currently 2,897 in service after more than 60 years.

This revision will “prevent a break in production”, thus averting the cost of restarting BAE Systems’ production line in York, Pennsylvania and risking disruption to an already shaky global supply chain.

The contract authority did not state what type of AMPV will be procured, with five variants available: General Purpose, Mortar Carrier, Mission Command, Medical Treatment and Medical Evacuation vehicles. The US anticipates the work to be completed by the end of May 2028.

According to information from the Congressional Research Service, the rate has already fallen from 190 to 131 units per year as of FY2024 and this was expected to remain the same until at least 2027.

Poland has chosen Sweden’s proposal featuring Saab’s A26 Blekinge-class submarines for its Orka submarine programme.

The offer also includes provisions for collaboration with Polish industry and knowledge transfer, aiming to establish a strategic partnership between the two countries. Apart from Sweden, other competing bidders included Germany’s ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, France’s Naval Group, Italy’s Fincantieri, South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean, and Spain’s Navantia.

However, although Poland has selected Saab for the next stage, no contract or order has yet been finalised. Both Saab and Sweden’s Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) are expected to proceed with further procurement steps alongside Polish officials.

The A26 submarine measures 62 metres in length with a draught of 6m and a surfaced displacement of roughly 1,800 tonnes.

The Orka programme, first launched in 2014, aims to replace the existing Kilo-class submarine fleet. Poland, currently the top defence spender in Europe, allocated 124.3bn złotys ($33bn) for its 2025 defence budget, including wage increases, representing a rise of $1.6bn over the previous year.