On Thursday 16 December in Lorient, the Naval Group laid the keel of the primary protection and intervention frigate ordered by the French protection procurement company (DGA) and destined to the French Navy. This step marks the start of the meeting of the ship within the development corridor. The frigate might be delivered in 2024. It’s the first of a collection of 5 ships to be delivered between 2024 and 2030. On the identical day, the Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module (PSIM), the built-in mast of the FDI, was additionally powered up. This necessary milestone symbolizes the beginning of the testing of the frigate’s full fight system, a number of months earlier than its last integration on the ship.
5 FDI frigates meant might be ordered by the French protection procurement company (DGA) for the French Navy. This program reinforces the technological lead of the French naval industrial base and the Naval Group specifically. The primary of the collection might be named Amiral Ronarc’h, after an incredible admiral, Chief of Workers of the French Navy between 1919 and 1920, who distinguished himself through the First World Struggle on the head of marines and sailors. The FDI program will help employment within the shipbuilding business all through France and, extra significantly, in Lorient and its Naval Group web site.
Commercial
Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, mentioned: “We’re proud to be right here at this time to mark this main milestone within the industrial manufacturing of the primary protection and intervention frigate for the French Navy. This multi-role, cyber-secure, and scalable ships will guarantee the prevalence of knowledge and engagement in addition to the power to final at sea of the naval forces that may function them. Already chosen by Greece for its Navy, this ship will even allow Naval Group to develop its worldwide outreach. We stay absolutely dedicated to empowering the sovereignty of France and our associate international locations.”
French Navy.(Picture by Naval Group)
Following the signature on 28 September 2021 of a memorandum of understanding by the Greek Minister of Defence, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, and Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, negotiations are underway for the acquisition by Greece of three FDI HN frigates and one in possibility, all to be inbuilt Lorient, as a part of a strategic partnership between France and Greece. It’s the first frigate to profit from a digital structure that may enable her steady adaptation to technological and operational evolutions. Consequently, the FDI will have the ability to tackle present and future threats and to deal with at all times extra information.
The FDI is a excessive sea vessel with a 4,500 tons class displacement. Multipurpose and resilient, she is able to working, alone or inside a naval pressure. She provides capabilities for all sorts of warfare: anti-surface, anti-air, anti-submarine, and in addition to for particular forces projection. Bringing collectively the most effective of French naval applied sciences on a compact platform, the FDI is a robust and progressive frigate, designed to fulfill the evolution of threats. The FDI would be the first French frigate natively protected towards cyber threats, with two information facilities just about accommodating an incredible a part of the ship functions. The FDI introduces the idea of a devoted system for uneven warfare.
This method will allow the coordination and conduct of the struggle towards small and shut air and floor threats, together with booby-trapped boats. Strongly armed (Exocet MM40 B3C anti-surface missiles, Aster 15/30 anti-air missiles, MU90 antisubmarine torpedoes, artillery), the FDI can embark concurrently on a helicopter (10 tons class similar to NH90) or the longer term Joint Mild Helicopter and an unmanned aerial automobile (as much as 700kg). She will be able to additionally obtain a Particular Forces detachment with their two commando boats. They’re geared up with the brand new era Seafire radar with 4 fastened panels, developed by Thales, which, mixed with the missile supply system, provides unmatched space protection capabilities.
