FREMM multipurpose frigate

Italian first FREMM Carlo Bergamini (F590)
Class overview
Name: FREMM
Operators:
Preceded by:
Cost:
  • €670m/unit[1](FY 2014)(France)
  • €580m/unit[2](FY 2005)(Italy)
  • €470m/unit[2] (Morocco)
Built: 2007-
In commission: 2012-
Planned: 29 (France 17, Italy 10, Morocco 1, Egypt 1)
Cancelled: 9 France
Active: 9 (Italy 4, France 3, Morocco 1, Egypt 1)
Laid up: 5 (France 3, Italy 2)
General characteristics
Type: Frigate
Displacement:
  • France: 6,000 tonnes[3]
  • Italy: 6,700 tonnes[4]
Length:
  • France: 142 m (466 ft)
  • Italy: 144.6 m (474 ft)
Beam:
  • France: 20 m (66 ft)
  • Italy: 19.7 m (65 ft)
Draught:
  • France: 5 m (16 ft)
  • Italy: 8.7 m (29 ft)
Propulsion:
Speed:
  • France: 27+ knots (50 km/h (31 mph))
  • Italy: 29+ knots (55 km/h (34 mph))
Range:
  • France: 6,000 nm (11,000 km (6,800 mi)) at 15 knots
  • Italy: 6,700 nm (12,300 km (7,600 mi)) at 15 knots
Complement:
  • France: 145
  • Italy: 199 GP version / 201 ASW version
Crew: Italy: 131 GP version / 133 ASW version; add 14 crew for one helo on board or add 23 crew for two helos on board
Sensors and
processing systems:
Armament:
Aircraft carried:
Aviation facilities:
  • France: single hangar
  • Italy: double hangar

The FREMM ("European multi-purpose frigate"; French: Frégate européenne multi-mission; Italian: Fregata europea multi-missione) is a class of multi-purpose frigates designed by DCNS/Armaris and Fincantieri for the navies of France and Italy. The lead ship of the class, Aquitaine, was commissioned in November 2012 by the French Navy. In France the class is known as the Aquitaine class, while in Italy they are known as the Bergamini class. Italy has ordered six general purpose variants and four anti-submarine variants; the last two Italian general purpose FREMMs will have anti-aircraft warfare, anti-ballistic missile and surface attack capabilities. France has ordered six anti-submarine variants, and two air-defence variants.

Background

Three original variants of the FREMM were proposed; an anti-submarine variant (ASW) and a general-purpose variant (GP) and a land-attack variant (AVT) to replace the existing classes of frigates within the French and Italian navies. A total of 27 FREMM were to be constructed - 17 for France and 10 for Italy - with additional aims to seek exports, however budget cuts and changing requirements has seen this number drop significantly (for France). The land-attack variant (AVT) was subsequently cancelled.

A third anti-air warfare variant of FREMM was proposed by DCNS in repose to French requirements for a new air-defence frigate, the new variant became known as FREDA ("FREgates de Défense Aériennes", "Air defence frigate"). This new French requirement was due to the third and fourth Horizon-class frigates being cancelled after the first two cost €1,350m each, but this decision left French Navy still in-need of replacements for its ageing Cassard-class air-defence frigates.[5]

As of 2009, the FREDA design features a more powerful version of the Thales Herakles passive electronically scanned array radar and 32 cells of SYLVER A50 in place of the 16 cells of A43 and 16 cells of A70. The SYLVER A50 would allow it to fire the 120 kilometres (75 mi)-range Aster 30 missile; the towed array sonar would not be fitted.[6]

At Euronaval 2012 DCNS showed a new concept called FREMM-ER for the FREDA requirement, again based on the FREMM, but specifically mentioning the ballistic missile defence mission as well as anti-air. FREMM-ER has a modified superstructure replacing Héraklès with the new Thales Sea Fire 500 radar, whose four fixed plates resemble those of the US Navy's AN/SPY-1.[7] However unlike the Héraklès and the SPY-1 (both using passive electronically scanned array technology), the Sea Fire 500 has active electronically scanned array antennas.[8]

France

Original plans were for 17 FREMM to replace the nine D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos and nine anti-submarine frigates of the Tourville and Georges Leygues classes. In November 2005 France announced a contract of €3.5 billion for development and the first eight hulls, with options for nine more costing €2.95 billion split over two tranches (totaling 17).

Following the cancellation of the third and fourth of the Horizon-class frigates in 2005 on budget grounds, requirements for an air-defence derivative of the FREMM called FREDA were placed – with DCNS coming up with several proposals.[9] Expectations were that the last two ships of the 17 FREMM planned would be built to FREDA specifications; however, by 2008 the plan was revised down to just 11 FREMM (9 ASW variants and 2 FREDA variants)[5] at a cost of €8.75 billion (FY13, ~US$12 billion).[1] The 11 ships would cost €670 million (~US$760m) each in FY2014, or €860m (~US$980m) including development costs.[1]

The 2013 White Paper on Defence and National Security committed France to 15 front-line frigates,[10] which was initially wrongly interpreted as 2 Horizons, 5 La Fayettes and a reduction in the FREMM fleet down to 8 ships. The 2014/2019 defence plan restated a target of 11 FREMMs;[11] the current plan is to deliver six ASW variants to replace the Georges Leygues-class frigates by 2019, followed by two anti-air variants to replace the ageing Cassard-class frigates and a decision will be taken in 2016 on what version the remaining three will be.[1] In 2014, the French Navy's Chief of Staff, Adm. Bernard Rogel, confirmed that 11 FREMM frigates had been ordered[12] but in 2015 the order was cut to 8 in order to allow the purchase of five FTI Mid-Size frigates from 2023.[13] The FTI will replace the La Fayette-class class, which will be fitted with a sonar as an interim measure.[13]

Italy

Planning assumptions for the Italian Navy are 10 FREMM-IT (4 ASW variants and 6 GP variants) at a cost of €5.8 billion. FREMM-IT will replace the Maestrale and Lupo-class frigates in service with the Italian Navy.

As of 16 April 2015, the Italian government has approved funding for all ten FREMM-IT to be delivered to the Italian Navy (4 ASW variants and 6 GP variants). In the 2013 Italian budget, the Italian government laid-out the necessary financing for two more GP variants (FREMM-IT 7 & 8) and the contract was awarded in September 2013. On 15 April 2015, Italian Parliamentary confirmed the deal between OCCAR and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali Spa (Fincantieri and Finmeccanica) to beginning built units 9 and 10, for Euro 764 millions.

FREMM-IT 9 & 10 will have AAW & ATBM capabilities and will have A70 VLS for cruise missiles. All Italian FREMM-ITs have extended AAW capabilities, with SAAM-ESD CMS and Aster 30 (& Aster 15) missiles for extended area defence. SAAM-ESD CMS use Selex ES MFRA, a 3D active radar (AESA), an evolved version of the Selex ES EMPAR PESA radar (previously embarked on Horizon-class destroyers and the aircraft carrier Cavour).
The Selex ES MFRA 4FF (EMPAR's evolved version, destined for the 9th and 10th FREMM) will have four flat radar sensors, with three times the original range and full ATBM capabilities.
Since the 7th FREMM-IT, there will be updates to other systems, such as:

Export

Operators of the FREMM frigates.

Morocco

On 24 October 2007 it was announced that the Royal Moroccan Navy had ordered one FREMM to replace its Descubierta-class corvette.[14] The contract was signed on 18 April 2008 and construction of the Moroccan FREMM began in the summer 2008 with delivery expected in 2012 or 2013;[15] Mohammed VI was launched in September 2011 and handed over on 30 January 2014.[2] The Moroccan ship is similar to the French anti-submarine version, without SYLVER A70 tubes for SCALP Naval, and cost €470m.[2]

Greece

On 22 January 2009 the Hellenic Navy announced an order for six FREMM to replace an equal number of Elli-class frigates.[16] After the Greek government-debt crisis this was cut down to between two and four ships equipped with SCALP Naval, with France alleged to have offered them to Greece at no cost for the first five years. Germany objected to this deal in October 2011[17] and no deal has been signed. In February 2013 though and during the formal visit of the President of France, François Hollande, in Athens, according to press reports an agreement which includes the long-term leasing of two FREMM frigates (Normandie and Provence according to initial reports) to the Hellenic Navy has been reached.[18]

Canada

In April 2013, the French government showcased the FREMM class in Halifax with the hope of selling to the Royal Canadian Navy for the Single Class Surface Combatant Project.[19] Canada's Defence Minister at the time, Peter MacKay, commented "I have never seen… such an impressive vessel". The FREMM Class design will not be in the fifteen Canadian Surface Combatants. However, Canada could purchase one or two vessels for the interim.[20]

Egypt

On 16 February 2015, The Egyptian Navy ordered one FREMM vessel to enter service before the opening of the New Suez Canal, as part of a larger deal (including 24 Rafales and a supply of missiles) worth US$5.9 billion (€5.2 billion).[21][22] In order to keep to Egypt's deadlines, France offered to send Normandie, originally intended for the French Navy.[23] The SYLVER A70, jamming equipment and satellite communications have been removed, and the crew will be 126 in Egyptian service compared to 108 as a French ship.[24] From March 2015, DCNS trained the Egyptian crew in the technology of the ship and DCNS and its partners accompanied the crew for a period of 15 months. On 23 June 2015, a ceremony took place to transfer Normandie to Egypt, renamed Tahya Misr ("Long Live Egypt"), in the presence of General Sedki Sobhy, the Egyptian Minister of Defense, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister of Defense, Admiral Osama Rabie, Egyptian Navy Commander in Chief, Admiral Bernard Rogel, the French Chief of Navy and Hervé Guillou, Chairman & CEO of DCNS.[24][25]

Australia

On 18 April 2016, Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull confirmed that the FREMM class was one of three frigates shortlisted for the replacement of its MEKO 200 based Anzac-class frigate.[26]

Country-specific equipment

Common equipment

French-specific equipment

French version of the FREMM

Italian-specific equipment

Italian ASW FREMM Virginio Fasan

Ships of the class

Aquitaine class

 French Navy
Pennant no. Variant Role Name Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
D650 FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Aquitaine 2007 29 April 2010 23 November 2012[30] Brest
D652 FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Provence 2010 18 September 2013 12 June 2015 Brest
D653 FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Languedoc 2011 12 July 2014 16 March 2016 Toulon
D654 FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Auvergne 2012 2 September 2015 2017 Toulon
D655 FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Bretagne 2013 2018 Brest
FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Normandie 2019 Brest
FR‑AAW Anti‑air warfare Alsace 2021 Toulon
FR‑AAW Anti‑air warfare Lorraine 2022 Toulon
 Royal Moroccan Navy
Pennant no. Variant Role Name Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
701 FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Mohammed VI 2008 14 September 2011 30 January 2014[2] Ksar es Seghir
 Egyptian Navy
Pennant no. Variant Role Name Laid down Launched Commissioned Homeport
FFG-1001 FR‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Tahya Misr (ex-Normandie) [31] 2009 18 October 2012 23 June 2015 [32] Alexandria [33]

Bergamini class

 Marina Militare[34]
Pennant no. Variant Role Name Fincantieri
hull 		Laid down Launched[35] Commissioned Homeport
F590 IT‑GP General purpose Carlo Bergamini 6145 4 February 2008 16 July 2011 29 May 2013 [36] La Spezia
F591 IT‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Virginio Fasan 6146 12 May 2009 31 March 2012 19 December 2013[37] La Spezia
F592 IT‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Carlo Margottini 6209 21 April 2010 29 June 2013 27 February 2014 [38] La Spezia
F593 IT‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Carabiniere 6210 6 April 2011 29 March 2014 28 April 2015 [39] La Spezia
F594 IT‑ASW Anti‑submarine warfare Alpino 6211 23 February 2012 13 December 2014 March 2016
F595 IT‑GP General purpose Luigi Rizzo 6212 5 March 2013 19 December 2015 February 2017
F596 IT‑GP General purpose Federico Martinengo 6247 5 June 2014 [40] 2017 Spring 2018
F597 IT‑GP General purpose 6248 12 July 2015 [41] [42] 2018 2019
F598 IT‑GP General purpose 2017 2021
F599 IT‑GP General purpose 2018 2022

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Projet de loi de finances pour 2015 : Défense : équipement des forces" (in French). Senate of France. 20 November 2014. Retrieved 2015-02-22.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Djama, Nasser (30 January 2014). "A Brest, le Maroc prend possession de sa frégate Fremm Mohammed VI". L'Usine Nouvelle (in French). Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  3. ↑ "Caractéristiques". FREMM Aquitaine (D 650) (in French). Minstère de la Défense. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  4. ↑ "Fregate Europee Multi Missione - FREMM" (in Italian). Ministero Della Difesa. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  5. 1 2 "FREMM : 11 frégates multi-missions pour la flotte française". Mer et Marine (in French). 26 October 2008.
  6. ↑ "Frégates : Le point sur les futures FREDA". Mer et Marine (in French). 12 October 2009.
  7. ↑ "DCNS to unveil new FREMM Frigate variant, updated BRAVE supply ship design at Euronaval 2012". Belgium: Navy Recognition. 4 October 2012.
  8. ↑ Nodwell, Bethan (2013). "Extending Navy Capabilities FREMM-ER". FrontLine Defence. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "FREMM : Supprimer des frégates, un non sens économique et stratégique?". Mer et Marine (in French). 19 September 2007.
  10. ↑ "White Paper on Defense and National Security 2013" (PDF). Minstère de la Défense. 29 April 2013. p. 91. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "Projet De Loi De programmation Militarie 2014/2019" (PDF) (in French). Minstère de la Défense. August 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  12. ↑ "Amiral Rogel : " Conserver un outil efficace et adapté aux menaces de demain "". Mer et Marine (in French). 29 October 2014. Retrieved 30 April 2015. (subscription required)
  13. 1 2 "Update to French Military Planning Law Means New Capabilities for Lafayette Class Frigates". Navy Reocgnition. 2015-05-21.
  14. ↑ Accord conclu pour la vente d'une frégate française au Maroc | Mer et Marine Archived November 20, 2007, at the Wayback Machine.
  15. ↑ La construction de la FREMM marocaine débute à Lorient | Mer et Marine Archived April 22, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  16. ↑ "ΑΠΟΚΛΕΙΣΤΙΚΟ: O Ε. Μεϊμαράκης ανακοίνωσε πρόγραμμα εξοπλισμών" (in Greek). DefenceNet.gr. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  17. ↑ "Germans Question Contract : France to Sell Frigates to Greece in Controversial Deal". Der Spiegel. 17 October 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  18. ↑ "La Grèce va louer 2 frégates françaises". Le Figaro (in French). 19 February 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  19. ↑ "French pitch new warships for next Canadian navy vessels". CBC News. 20 April 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  20. ↑ Daly, Steve (2014-12-10). "Part 3: General-Purpose Patrol Frigates for the Canadian Surface Combatant Project". Canada's National Shipbuilding Procurement Strategy and the CSC Project. Canadian American Strategic Review.
  21. ↑ Lert, Frédéric (16 February 2015). "Egypt officially signs for 24 Rafales, FREMM frigate, and missiles". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  22. ↑ "Official French Navy Statement on the Sale of a FREMM Multi-Mission Frigate to Egypt". 13 February 2015.
  23. ↑ "FREMM pour l’Egypte : Ça se précise…". 17 December 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  24. 1 2 "DCNS Transferred the FREMM Frigate Tahya Misr to the Egyptian Navy". 24 June 2015.
  25. ↑ "DCNS Transfers the FREMM Tahya Misr to the Egyptian Navy". 24 June 2015.
  26. ↑ Anderson, Stephanie (18 April 2016). "Malcolm Turnbull says 12 offshore patrol vessels to be built in Adelaide". ABC News. ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 18 April 2016.
  27. ↑ Archived December 19, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
  28. ↑ "Stemar RIB 6.8 MM" (in Italian). FNN Marine Diesel Engine. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  29. ↑ R.I.D. Rivista italiana difesa, gennaio 2013
  30. ↑ "La Marine réceptionne la FREMM Aquitaine" (in French). Minstère de la Défense. 27 November 2012. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  31. ↑ "Egypt receives its first FREMM frigate". 23 June 2015.
  32. ↑ "Egypt to receive FREMM frigate on 23 June". janes.com. 19 June 2015.
  33. ↑ "La FREMM Tahia Misr en route pour Alexandrie" (in French). 23 July 2015.
  34. ↑ Gaiani, Gianandrea (26 November 2012). "Modifiche E Qualche Ritocco Per Le Fremm" (in Italian). Analisi Difesa. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  35. ↑ "Le fregate FREMM, le navi del futuro". Marina Militare (in Italian). Ministero Della Difesa. 9 February 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  36. ↑ "Italian FREMM FOC GP Carlo Bergamini Delivered To The Italian Navy". defense-aerospace.com. 4 June 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  37. ↑ "Second Italian FREMM frigate 'Virginio Fasan' Delivered". Orizzonte Sistemi Navali. 19 December 2013. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  38. ↑ ""Carlo Margottini" Delivered to the Italian Navy". defense-aerospace.com. 27 February 2014. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  39. ↑ "FREMM "Carabiniere" Delivered to the Italian Navy" (PDF) (Press release). Trieste: Fincantieri. 28 April 2015. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
  40. ↑ "Fincantieri, Riva Trigoso: iniziati i lavori per la settima Fremm" (in Italian). The Medi Telegraph. 5 June 2014. Retrieved 24 October 2014.
  41. ↑ "Riva Trigoso: Fincantieri, Iniziano Lavori 8ª Unità Programma FREMM" (in Italian). Agenzia Giornalistica Globalpress. 25 February 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  42. ↑ http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/165378/fincantieri-lays-down-eighth-italian-fremm-frigate.html

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