Fincantieri Marinette Marine Names Former Navy Secretary Board Chairman as Frigate Program Resets

Fincantieri Marinette Marine has appointed Kenneth J. Braithwaite, the 77th Secretary of the Navy and former U.S. ambassador to Norway, as Chairman of its Board of Directors, bringing decades of defense and naval expertise to the Italian-owned shipbuilder as it navigates a major program restructuring.

The appointment comes amid significant changes for Fincantieri’s U.S. operations. On November 25, 2025, the U.S. Navy announced it would terminate four ships from the troubled Constellation-class frigate program before construction begins, while proceeding with only the first two vessels—Constellation (FFG-62) and Congress (FFG-63)—at the company’s Wisconsin shipyard.

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to welcome Ambassador Braithwaite into the FMM Board of Director as Chairman,” said Fincantieri Marine Group CEO George Moutafis. “His unique experience and vantage point on our Navy’s and Nation’s needs will prove invaluable, and we are fortunate to have him.”

Braithwaite brings extensive military and diplomatic credentials to the role. A 1984 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, he served as a naval aviator flying anti-submarine missions in the Pacific and Arctic before retiring as a Rear Admiral from the Navy Reserve.He was sworn in as Secretary of the Navy on May 29, 2020, following his service as the 31st U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Norway during President Trump’s first administration.

The Constellation-class program has faced severe schedule challenges, with the lead ship now expected in April 2029—a 36-month delay from its original April 2026 delivery date. Secretary of the Navy John Phelan characterized the decision to terminate the four vessels as part of a strategic shift away from the program.

“We are reshaping how the Navy builds its fleet,” Phelan stated. “The Navy and our industry partners have reached a comprehensive framework that terminates, for the Navy’s convenience, the last four ships of the class, which have not begun construction.”

A May 2024 Government Accountability Office report identified fundamental problems with the program, noting that the Navy’s decision to begin construction before completing the ship design was “inconsistent with leading ship design practices.” The report warned that design delays had created “mounting construction delays.”

Last week, the U.S. Navy announced it would be pivoting to a new FF(X) frigate based on Huntington Ingalls Industries’ proven Legend-class National Security Cutter design for the Coast Guard. John C. Phelan said the accelerated approach is aimed at delivering combat power faster by leveraging an existing, in-service design rather than starting from scratch, with the first hull targeted for launch in 2028 under the administration’s “Golden Fleet” initiative. Navy leaders framed the move as a response to years of Constellation delays and a broader effort to reduce cost, schedule, and technical risk while expanding shipyard output across the U.S. maritime industrial base.

Despite the setbacks, Fincantieri has emphasized that the new arrangement provides stability for its workforce and facilities. The company stated that the Navy will indemnify it on existing economic commitments and industrial impacts through measures provided as a result of the contractual decision.

Moutafis commented on the restructured agreement: “The agreement reached with the U.S. Navy marks a new chapter in our strategic partnership, built on mutual trust, a shared vision and commitment to excellence. The path forward defined on the Constellation-class program provides for the necessary stability for our teams and the entire Wisconsin System of Yards, allowing us to continue investing in innovation and skills.”

Looking ahead, Fincantieri says it expects to receive new orders for amphibious, icebreaking, and other special missions vessels, and will support the Navy as it redefines strategic choices in the Small Surface Combatants segment.

The company currently employs approximately 3,750 highly skilled workers in the United States across facilities in Marinette, Green Bay, Sturgeon Bay, and Jacksonville, having recently increased its workforce by 850 workers.Over recent years, Fincantieri has invested more than $800 million in its four U.S. shipyards.

Braithwaite joins fellow FMM board members including former Wisconsin governor James Doyle, Vice Adm. (USN, Ret.) Ronald Boxall, and former secretary-level military acquisitions principals Steffanie Easter and James Geurts, all serving as outside directors.

The frigate program cancellation represents the latest in a series of federal shipbuilding program alterations under the Trump Administration, including the cancellation of the U.S. Coast Guard’s planned eleventh Legend-class National Security Cutter and the partial shutdown of the Offshore Patrol Cutter program at Eastern Shipbuilding.

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