The US Navy recently exercised an option to acquire the guided-missile frigate Chesapeake (FFG 64). (US Navy)

Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM) is set to start building the first Constellation-class guided-missile frigate (FFG 62) close to the scheduled construction-start time, programme sources confirmed.

FMM and US Navy (USN) sources say Constellation work will begin during the US summer – that started 21 June and ends 22 September – but a source familiar with the programme told Janes the shipbuilder will likely begin construction in August.

The keel-laying ceremony for the first of two Multipurpose Modular Patrol Vessels to be built for the Bulgarian Navy was held on 17 June at MTG Dolphin's shipyard near Varna, in the attendance of country's president, Rumen Radev, and the minister of defence, Dragomir Zakov. (Bulgarian Navy)

German shipbuilder NVL Group (formerly Lürssen Werft) held a keel-laying ceremony for the first of two Multipurpose Modular Patrol Vessels (MMPVs) on order for the Bulgarian Navy at the yard of its local shipbuilding partner MTG Dolphin in Varna, Bulgaria on 17 June.

The new ship, named

Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the Dutch navy's first new MCMV, Vlissingen , in Lanester on 14 June. (Belgium Naval & Robotics)

French shipbuilder Naval Group held a keel-laying ceremony for the first new mine countermeasures vessel (MCMV) on order for the Royal Netherlands Navy in Lanester on 14 June.

The new vessel, named Vlissingen , is the second of the 12 MCMVs on order for the Belgian and the Netherlands (BE/NL) navies under their joint replacement rMCM programme.