France’s Normandie frigate in first sea trials
The French Navy’s newest anti-submarine warfare (ASW) FREMM frigate, Normandie, has successfully conducted its first sea trials off the coast of Lorient.
The trials were conducted by an industrial team including Naval Group, the OCCAR FREMM Programme Division, the French Navy crew and the French Procurement Agency to evaluate the vessel’s propulsion and navigation performance.
Further tests and trials of various systems, including the combat management system, will continue in the coming weeks. The frigate is scheduled to be delivered in summer of 2019.
The ASW FREMM frigates are equipped with advanced weapon systems including Heracles multifunction radars, MdCN naval cruise missiles, Aster and Exocet MM40 missiles and MU 90 torpedoes.
To date, five FREMM frigates have been delivered to the French Navy and three ships, including Normandie, are at various stages of assembly and construction at Naval Group Lorient's shipyard. The last two French FREMM Frigates, Alsace and Lorraine, will be delivered in 2021 and 2022, with reinforced air defence capabilities.
More from Naval Warfare
-
DSEI 2025: Red Cat expands into USV production with focus on combat-proven technology
At DSEI 2025, Red Cat outlines its expansion from UAVs into uncrewed surface vessels (USVs), positioning itself as a multi-domain defence provider spanning land, sea, and air.
-
Anduril Australia wins A$1.7 billion Ghost Shark XL-AUV contract
The vessels are expected to deliver a major boost to Australia’s undersea warfare capabilities, with production set to start immediately.
-
Royal Canadian Navy will start operating class 2 UAVs in 2028
Acquired under Canada’s Department of National Defence ISTAR UAS project, the drones will be deployed from the Halifax-class frigates.
-
Newest US Coast Guard cutters go after Chinese vessels sailing in the Arctic
Cutters Earl Cunningham and Storis have been monitoring five Beijing research vessels navigating in the North Pole.
-
US Navy selects 25 companies for up to $1.9 billion nuclear submarine contract
The multi-award contract will support the scheduled repair and maintenance of nuclear-powered attack submarines at the US Navy’s primary public shipyards.