Future US Navy ship to honour coast guard founder Alexander Hamilton

By Baird Maritime - May 27, 2024.

US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro poses with New York City Mayor Eric Adam during Fleet Week New York's welcome breakfast, May 23, 2024. During the event, Secretary Del Toro announced the name of the US Navy's newest Constellation-class guided-missile frigate, the future USS Hamilton (FFG 66). The future USS Hamilton honors former Secretary of the Treasury and Founder of the US Coast Guard Alexander Hamilton and the crews of previous navy vessels to bear the name. (Photo: US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Kaitlin Young)

US Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro has confirmed that a future US Navy Constellation-class guided-missile frigate (FFG) will be named USS Hamilton.

The ship will honour Alexander Hamilton, who served Secretary of the Treasury under President George Washington. He was also the founder of the US Revenue Cutter Service, the forerunner of the modern day US Coast Guard.

As with its Consellation-class sisters, the future Hamilton will have a length of 496 feet (151 metres), a beam of 65 feet (20 metres), and a crew complement of 200. A combined diesel-electric and gas (CODLAG) propulsion arrangement consisting of a GE LM2500 gas turbine and four MTU diesel generators will deliver a maximum speed of 26 knots.

The frigate will be capable of operating independently or as part of a carrier/expeditionary strike group or a surface action group. It will be manned and equipped for navy composite warfare and joint maritime operations in both blue-water and littoral environments.

The ship will be capable of anti-air warfare, anti-submarine warfare, surface warfare, electronic warfare, and information operations.