FREMM Aquitaine continues verification test firings
The frigate Aquitaine, a part of the multi-mission frigate program (FREMM), fired an Exocet MM40 surface-to-surface missile on 12 May and a naval cruise missile on 19 May at a DGA missile testing centre off Levant Island.
These tests marked the first time that a European surface ship has fired a European cruise missile. The firings were prepared by the DGA teams, the French Navy, missile manufacturer MBDA, and DCNS. They were held as part of the verification of the FREMMs’ technical capabilities before they enter active service.
The firing of these missiles marks a major milestone after the successful firing of an Aster 15 anti-aircraft missile in 2013 and the commissioning of the MU 90 lightweight torpedo on the Caiman marine helicopter on 13 March.
FREMMs are heavily-armed warships with naval cruise missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles, Aster anti-aircraft missiles and MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes. They can accommodate a Caiman marine helicopter, special forces and their equipment. A total of six FREMMs are due to be delivered before mid-2019.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
You may also like
More from Naval Warfare
-
![US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies]()
US Navy’s MUSV programme could lay the USV procurement blueprint for NATO allies
The programme’s structure as a marketplace will allow multiple companies to compete for ongoing procurements; an approach which could be replicated across the Atlantic.
-
![UK Defence Investment Plan: What does it mean for the country’s naval forces?]()
UK Defence Investment Plan: What does it mean for the country’s naval forces?
Investment in nuclear submarines, autonomous systems and stronger defensive capabilities for existing vessels show a clear strategic shift in Royal Navy priorities.
-
![UK Royal Navy shifts focus from warships to system-led warfare]()
UK Royal Navy shifts focus from warships to system-led warfare
With a revised Defence Investment Plan on the way ahead of the upcoming NATO Summit on 7-8 July, the UK government has begun to reveal more details of how its future naval fleet could look.
-
![UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition]()
UK’s Type 31 frigate balances cost pressure with long-term export ambition
The UK shipbuilder’s full-year results to the end of March revealed the impact of the £140 million charge linked to design changes and rework on the Royal Navy’s Type 31 frigate programme.
