United States Frigates – Historic Warships

A frigate is any of several types of small, fast warships, usually the square-rigged sailing ships of the 17th–19th centuries or the radar- and sonar-equipped anti-submarine and anti-aircraft ships of World War II and after. The name frigate was given in the 17th to early 18th centuries to any fully equipped ship built for speed and maneuverability, intended to be used for reconnaissance, escort, and patrol roles. The term was loosely applied to ships of varying design.

During World War II, Britain revived the name frigate by assigning it to a small escort ship used to guard submarine convoys. In the age of guided missiles, the frigate has also taken on an anti-aircraft role, adding radar and surface-to-air missiles to its anti-submarine equipment. Many frigates now carry helicopters to help hunt submarines. For three decades after World War II, the U.S. Navy used the term frigate for a type of escort vessel slightly larger than a destroyer. In 1975, these ships were reclassified as cruisers and destroyers, and the United States then used frigate in the same sense as most other navies.

Bronstein class FF

The Bronstein-class frigates were originally laid down as ocean escorts (formerly called destroyer escorts), but were all redesignated as frigates on 30 June 1975 in the United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification and their hull designation changed from DE to FF.

This class comprised the second generation of post-World War II destroyer escorts. These ships can be considered developmental vessels as many new systems were installed to test for future use. This class was a new design from the keel up. The top weight of the new ASW equipment and the large bow-mounted sonar made the Bronstein frigates too slow to operate with the ASW task forces for which they had been designed. Thus the US Navy decided against any further procurement of ships of this class. The later Garcia-class frigates were given a larger power plant and greater speed.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
FF1037	USS Brornstein	Bronstein class	16-06-1963	13-12-1990	Donated to Mexico 12-11-1993
FF1038	USS Mc Cloy	Bronstein class	21-10-1963	14-12-1990	Donated to Mexico 12-11-1993

Garcia class FF

The Garcia class was a larger version of the Bronstein class. The Garcia class frigates were originally ocean escorts with the hull classification DE. On 30 June 1975 in the United States Navy 1975 ship reclassification their hull designation changed from DE to FF.. The ships were commissioned between 1964 and 1968 and decommissioned between 1988 and 1990.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
FF1040	USS Garcia	Garcia class	21-12-1964	31-01-1989	Scraped 29-03-1994
FF1041	USS Bradley	Garcia class	15-05-1965	30-09-1988	Transfered to Brazil
FF1043	USS Edward Mc Donnell	Garcia class	15-02-1965	30-09-1988	Disposed for scraping, dismanteling 21-08-2002
FF1044	USS Brumby	Garcia class	05-08-1965	31-03-1989	Sold for scraping 09-09-1994
FF1045	USS Davidson	Garcia class	01-12-1966	08-12-1988	Transfered to Brazil
FF1047	USS Voge	Garcia class	25-11-1966	23-08-1989	Disposed for scraping, dismanteling 19-01-2001
FF1048	USS Sample	Garcia class	23-03-1968	23-0-1988	Leased to Brazil 1989
FF1049	USS Koelsch	Garcia class	19-10-1968	31-05-1989	Scraped 1994
FF1050	USS Albert David	Garcia class	19-10-1968	28-09-1988	Sold to Brazil 24-01-2001
FF1051	USS O'Callahan	Garcia class	13-07-1968	20-12-1988	Sold for scraping 1988

Knox class FF

The Knox class frigates (46 in total) were the largest, last and most numerous of the US Navy’s second generation anti submarine warfare (AWS) escorts. they were all redesignated as frigates on 30 June 1975, in the 1975 ship reclassification plan and their hull designation changed from ‘DE’ to ‘FF’.

These ships were retired from the US Navy at the end of the Cold War due to their relatively high running costs, a declining defense budget, and the need for ships with a more advanced anti-submarine capability. None of the ships served more than 23 years in the US Navy, and by 1994, all of the class had been retired, although some remain in service with foreign nations such as Egypt, Taiwan, Thailand, and Mexico.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
FF1052	USS Knox	Knox class	12-04-1969	14-02-1992	Sunk as target, 07-08-2007
FF1053	USS Roark	Knox class	22-11-1969	14-12-1991	Scrapped, 13-10-2004
FF1054	USS Gray	Knox class	4 April 1970	29 June 1991	Scrapped, 21 July 2001
FF1055	USS Hepburn	Knox class	03-07-1969	20-12-1991	Sunk as target, 0-06-2002
FF1056	USS Connole	Knox class	30-08-1969	30-08-1992	Transferred to Greece "Ipiros", 1992
FF1057	USS Rathburne	Knox class	16-05-1970	14-02-1992	Sunk as target, 05-07-2002
FF1058	USS Meyerkord	Knox class	28-11-1969	14-12-1991	Scrapped, 15-12-2001
FF1059	USS W.S. Sims	Knox class	03-01-1970	06-09-1991	Transferred to Turkey for spare parts, 21-12-1999
FF1060	USS Lang	Knox class	28-03-1970	12-12-1991	Sold for scrapping, 15-12-2001
FF1061	USS Patterson	Knox class	14-03-1970	30-09-1991	Sold for scrapping, September 1999
FF1062	USS Whipple	Knox class	22-08-1970	14-02-1992	Transferred to Mexico 10-04-2002
FF1063	USS Reasoner	Knox class	31-07-1971	2-08-1993	Leased to Turkey 1993; Sold to Turkey 22-02-2002
FF1064	USS Lockwood	Knox class	05-12-1970	27-09-1993	Scrapped, 04-08-2000
FF1065	USS Stein	Knox class	08-01-1972	19-03-1992	Sold to Mexico "Ignacio Allende"
FF1066	USS Marvin Shields	Knox class	10-04-1971	02-07-1992	Donated to Mexico "Mariano Abasolo"
FF1067	USS Francis Hammond	Knox class	25-07-1970	02-07-1992	Scrapped, 31-03-2003
FF1068	USS Vreeland	Knox class	13-06-1970	30-06-1992	Transferred to Greece "Macedonia", 30-06-1992
FF1069	USS Bagley	Knox class	06-05-1972	26-09-1991	Disposed of by recycling, 19-09-2000
FF1070	USS Downes	Knox class	28-08-1971	10-06-1992	Decomm. in support of fleet training 15-08-2003
FF1071	USS Badger	Knox class	01-12-1970	20-12-1991	Sunk as a target, 22-07-1998
FF1072	USS Blakely	Knox class	18-07-1970	05-11-1991	Scrapped, 30-09-2000
FF1073	USS Robert E. Peary	Knox class	23-09-1972	07-08-1992	Transferred to Republic of China, 07-08-1992
FF1074	USS Harold E. Holt	Knox class	26-03-1971	02-07-1992	Decomm. in support of fleet training 10-07-2002
FF1075	USS Trippe	Knox class	19-09-1970	30-07-1992	Transferred to Greece "F457 Thraki", July 1992
FF1076	USS Fanning	Knox class	23-07-1971	31-07-1993	Transferred To Turkey "Adatepe", 31-07-1993
FF1077	USS Ouellet	Knox class	12-12-1970	06-08-1993	Transferred to Thailand "Phutthaloetla Naphalai"
FF1078	USS Joseph Hewes	Knox class	24-04-1971	30-06-1994	Transferred to Republic of China "FF-935 Lan Yang"
FF1079	USS Bowen	Knox class	22-05-1971	30-06-1994	Transferred to Turkey "F-257 Akdeniz", 22-02-2002
FF1080	USS Paul	Knox class	14-08-1971	14-08-1992	Transferred to Turkey for spare parts, 09-01-2000
FF1081	USS Aylwin	Knox class	18-09-1971	15-05-1992	Transferred to Taiwan "F938 Ning Yang", 29-04-1998
FF1082	USS Elmer Montgomery	Knox class	30-10-1971	30-06-1993	Transferred to Turkey as parts hulk, 13-12-1993
FF1083	USS Cook	Knox class	18-12-1971	30-04-1992	Transferred to Taiwan, 29-09-1999
FF1084	USS McCandless	Knox class	18-03-1972	06-05-1994	Transferred to Turkey "F-254 Trakya", 02-02-2002
FF1085	USS Donald B. Beary	Knox class	22-07-1972	20-05-1994	Transferred to Turkey "F-255 Karadeniz", 02-02-2002
FF1086	USS Brewton	Knox class	08-07-1972	02-07-1992	In active service
FF1087	USS Kirk	Knox class	09-09-1972	06-08-1993	Transferred to Taiwan "934 Fen Yang"
FF1088	USS Barbey	Knox class	11-11-1972	20-03-1992	Sold to Taiwan "F-937 Hwai Yang" , 1999
FF1089	USS Jesse L. Brown	Knox class	17-02-1973	27-07-1994	transferred to Egypt "F961 Damyat", 27-07-1994
FF1090	USS Ainsworth	Knox class	31-03-1973	27-05-1994	Leased to Turkey "F-256 Ege", 27-05-1994, museum
FF1091	USS Miller	Knox class	30-06-1973	15-10-1991	Sold to Turkey as a hulk, 19-07-1999
FF1092	USS Thomas C. Hart	Knox class	28-07-1973	30-08-1993	Transferred to Turkey "F-253 Zafer", 30-08-1993
FF1093	USS Capodanno	Knox class	17-11- 1973	30-07-1993	Leased and then sold to Turkey "F-250 Muavenet "
FF1094	USS Pharris	Knox class	26-01-1974	15-04-1992	Donated to Mexico "F-213 Victoria"
FF1095	USS Truett	Knox class	01-06-1974	30-07-1994	Leased (1994) to Thailand and sold 09-12-1999
FF1096	USS Valdez	Knox class	27-07-1974	16-12-1991	Transferred to Taiwan "F939 Yi Yang", April 1998
FF1097	USS Moinester	Knox class	02-11-1974	28-07-1994	Transferred to Egypt "F966 Rasheed", 28-06-1994

Glover class AGFF

Glover class was a Garcia-class frigate modified for research use, commissioned as AGDE-1 in 1965, redesignated AGFF-1 in 1975, and redesignated FF-1098 in 1979. Fitted out with advanced sonar and antisubmarine weapons, Glover was designed to serve as an experimental research escort for developing and testing the latest antisubmarine weapons systems.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
FF-1098	USS Glover	Glover class	13-11-1965	15-06-1990	transf. to research vessel 1990, Scraped 15-04-1994

Brooke class FFG

The Brooke class (6 ships in total) was a United States Navy frigate class based on the design of the Garcia class, but with the addition of the Tartar Guided Missile System. The first unit was commissioned in 1966 and the final sixth unit was decommissioned in 1989.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
FFG-1	USS Brooke	Brooke class	12-03-1966	16-09-1988	Disposed of by Navy title transfer, 28-03-1994
FFG-2	USS Ramsey	Brooke class	03-06-1967	01-09-1988	Sunk as a target, 15-06-2000
FFG-3	USS Schofield	Brooke class	11-05-1968	08-09-1988	Sunk as a target, 02-11-1999
FFG-4	USS Talbot	Brooke class	22-04-1967	30-09-1988	Sold for scrap on 09-03-1994
FFG-5	USS Richard L. Page	Brooke class	05-08-1967	30-09-1988	Disposed of by Navy title transfer, 28-03-1994
FFG-6	USS Julius A. Furur	Brooke class	11-11-1967	31-01-1989	Disposed of by Navy title transfer, 28-03-1994

Oliver Hazard Perry class FFG

The Oliver Hazard Perry class (51 ships in total) is a class of guided-missile frigates named after U.S. Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry, a commander noted for his role in the Battle of Lake Erie. Also known as the Perry or FFG-7 (commonly “fig seven”) class, the warships were designed in the United States in the mid-1970s as general-purpose escort vessels inexpensive enough to be bought in large numbers to replace World War II-era destroyers and complement 1960s-era Knox-class frigates.

The first of the 51 U.S. Navy-built Oliver Hazard Perry frigates entered into service in 1977, and the last remaining in active service. The retired vessels were mostly mothballed with some transferred to other navies for continued service and some used as weapons targets. In 2020, the Navy announced the new Constellation class as their latest class of frigates.

Hull	Name	Class	Commissioned	Decommissioned	Status
FFG-7	USS Oliver Hazard Perry	Perry class	17-12-1977	20-02-1997	Scrapped, 09-09-2005
FFG-8	USS Mclnerny	Perry class	15-12-1979	31-08-2010	Transferred to Pakistan, 2010
FFG-9	USS Wadsworth	Perry class	02-04-1980	28-06-2002	Transferred to Poland
FFG-10	USS Duncan	Perry class	15-05-1980	17-12-1994	Disposed as a parts hulk, 05-04-1999
FFG11	USS Clark	Perry class	09-05-1980	15-03-2000	Disposed, Sold to Polish Navy
FFG-12	USS George Philip	Perry class	10-10-1980	15-03-2003	Scrapped, 2015
FFG-13	USS Samuel Eliot Morison	Perry class	11-10-1980	10-04-2002	Sold to Turkey, 11-04-2002
FFG-14	USS Sides	Perry class	30-05-1981	28-02-2003	Sold for scrapping, 15-12-2014
FFG-15	USS Estocin	Perry class	10-01-1981	03-04-2003	Disposed
FFG-16	USS Clifton Sprague	Perry class	21-03-1981	02-06-1995	Disposed
FFG-19	USS John A. Moore	Perry class	14-11-1981	01-09-2000	Disposed
FFG-20	USS Antrim	Perry class	26-09-1981	08-05-1996	Transferred to Turkey, 27-08-1997
FFG-21	USS Flatley	Perry class	20-06-1981	11-05-1996	Disposed
FFG-22	USS Fahrion	Perry class	16-01-1982	31-03-1998	transferred to Egyptian Navy, 31-03-1998
FFG-23	USS Lewis B. Puller	Perry class	17-04-1982	18-09-1998	transferred to Egyptian Navy, 18-09-1998
FFG-24	USS Jack Williams	Perry class	19-09-1981	13-09-1996	Transferred to Bahrain as RBNS Sabha, 1996
FFG-25	USS Copeland	Perry class	07-08-1982	18-09-1996	transferred to Egyptian Navy, 18-09-1996
FFG-26	USS Gallery	Perry class	05-12-1981	14-06-1996	transferred to Egyptian Navy, 25-09-1996
FFG-27	USS Mahlon S. Tisdale	Perry class	27-11-1982	27-09-1996	Disposed, 05-04-1999
FFG-28	USS Boone	Perry class	15-05-1982	23-02-2012	Sunk as target, 07-09-2022
FFG-29	USS Stephen W. Groves	Perry class	17-04-1982	24-02-2012	Sold for scrap
FFG-30	USS Reid	Perry class	19-02-1983	25-09-1998	Transferred to Turkey, 05-01-1999
FFG-31	USS Stark	Perry class	23-10-1982	07-05-1999	Scrapped 2006
FFG-32	USS John L. Hall	Perry class	26-06-1982	09-03-2012	Undergoing scrapping
FFG-33	USS Jarrett	Perry class	02-07-1983	26-05-2011	Scrapped, 18-06-2015
FFG-34	USS Aubrey Fitch	Perry class	09-10-1982	12-12-1997	Sold for scrapping, 11-03-2004
FFG-36	USS Underwood	Perry class	29-01-1983	08-03-2013	Undergoing scrapping
FFG-37	USS Crommelin	Perry class	18-06-1983	31-10-2012	Sunk as target, 19-07-2016
FFG-38	USS Curts	Perry class	08-10-1983	2-01-2013	Sunk as a target, 19-09-2020
FFG-39	USS Doyle	Perry class	21-05-1983	29-07-2011	Scrapped
FFG-40	USS Halyburton	Perry class	07-01-1984	08-09-2014	Stricken, Final Disposition Pending
FFG-41	USS McClusky	Perry class	10-12-1983	14-01-2015	Sunk as a target, 19-07-2018
FFG-42	USS Klakring	Perry class	20-08-1983	22-03-2013	Stricken, to be disposed of
FFG-43	USS Thach	Perry class	17-03-1984	01-11-2013	Sunk as part of a sinking exercise on 14-07-2016
FFG-45	USS De Wert	Perry class	19-11-1983	04-04-2014	Stricken, to be disposed of
FFG-46	USS Rentz	Perry class	30-06-1984	23-05-2014	Sunk as target 2016
FFG-47	USS Nicholas	Perry class	10-03-1984	17-03-2014	Sold for Scrap February 28, 2023
FFG-48	USS Vandegrift	Perry class	24-11-1984	19-02-2015	Sunk as target, 17-06-2022
FFG-49	USS Robert G. Bradley	Perry class	30-06-1984	28-03-2014	Transferred to Royal Bahrain Naval Force
FFG-50	USS Taylor	Perry class	01-12-1984	--	Slated for sale to Taiwan
FFG-51	USS Gary	Perry class	17-11-1984	05-08-2015	Sold to Taiwan
FFG-52	USS Carr	Perry class	27-07-1985	13-03-2013	Slated for sale to Taiwan
FFG-53	USS Hawes	Perry class	09-02-1985	10-12-2010	Scrapped in 2021
FFG-54	USS Ford	Perry class	29-06-1985	31-10-2013	Sunk as target, 01-10-2019
FFG-55	USS Elrod	Perry class	21-09-1985	30-01-2015	Stricken, to be disposed of
FFG-56	USS Simson	Perry class	21-09-1985	29-09-2015	The ship is set to be put up for foreign military sale.
FFG-57	USS Reuben James	Perry class	22-03-1986	18-07-2013	Sunk as target, 18-01-2016
FFG-58	USS Samuel B. Roberts	Perry class	12-04-1986	22-05-2015	Scrapped in 2022
FFG-59	USS Kauffman	Perry class	28-02-1987	18-09-2015	decommissioned
FFG-60	USS Rodney M. Davis	Perry class	09-05-1987	23-01-2015	Sunk as target, 12-07-2022
FFG-61	USS Ingraham	Perry class	05-08-1989	30-01-2015	Sunk as target, 15-08-2021

Constalletion class

The Constellation-class multi-mission guided-missile frigates of the United States Navy are based on the European FREMM multipurpose frigate, already in service with the French and Italian navies. The Constellation-class frigates represent the Navy’s next generation small surface combatant. This ship class will be an agile, multi-mission warship, capable of operations in both blue-water and littoral environments, providing increased combat-credible forward presence that provides a military advantage at sea.

Hull	Name	Class	Status
FFG-62	USS Constellation	Constellation class	Laid down, 12-04-2024, Under construction
FFG-63	USS Congress	Constellation class	Awarded
FFG-64	USS Shesapeake	Constellation class	Awarded
FFG-65	USS Lafayette	Constellation class	Awarded
FFG-66	USS Hamilton	Constellation class	Awarded
FFG-67	USS Galvez	Constellation class	Awarded
FFG-68	USS Everet Alvarez Jr.	Constellation class	Awarded
FFG-69	USS Joy Bright Hancock	Constellation class	Awarded

References:
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_frigates_of_the_United_States_Navy
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constellation-class_frigate