The US Navy botched the design of its new $1 billion frigates: report

• US Navy's guided missile frigate project faces delays due to a flawed design.
• The $22 billion project started construction before completing the design, causing issues.
• GAO recommends prioritizing design quality and testing systems on land to mitigate risks.

A congressional report published Wednesday found that the US Navy's designs for its guided missile frigate project are flawed, stalling construction and delaying the delivery of the first frigate.

"The Navy had good reason to be optimistic that the frigate program was positioned to deliver capabilities on the schedule it promised," the report said. "Subsequent missteps, however, have jeopardized the Navy's ability to achieve these goals."