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
-
US tests the newest QUICKSINK maritime weapon variant in the Norwegian Sea
The low-cost, anti-ship, precision-guided 500lb class capability was launched by a USAF B-2 Spirit stealth bomber.
-
US Navy seeks suppliers for Landing Craft Utility 1700-class
With ongoing market research to find potential shipyards for building LCUs, NAVSEA intends to issue a request for proposals for the programme next year.
-
US Coast Guard orders 10 additional Fast Response Cutters
The USCG exercised a $507 million contract option for the acquisition of 10 extra FRCs. This new order will raise the total number of Sentinel-class vessels procured by the service from 67 to 77.
-
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.