France’s final FREMM frigate delivered
The FREMM-DA frigate Lorraine features improved air defence capabilities. (Photo: DGA)
The delivery of the frigate Lorraine marks the close of a decade of French FREMM deliveries.
France’s defence procurement agency DGA took delivery of the country’s final FREMM frigate, Lorraine, on 16 November.
Lorraine is the second of two FREMMs, after Alsace, built with advanced air defence capabilities, known as the FREMM-DA.
The delivery of Lorraine comes a decade after the delivery of the first French FREMM Aquitaine. Naval Group has also exported two FREMMs, one to Egypt and one to Morocco.
The FREMM-DA ships can carry eight Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles and 32 Aster missiles in Sylver vertical launch systems.
Lorraine will also benefit from improved cyber capabilities, Link 22 secure digital data link communications and a reduced-width mast.
Naval Group, the builder of France’s FREMMs, began sea trials of Lorraine earlier this year.
Shephard Defence Insight notes that the French frigates measure 142m in length, with a beam of 20m and a draft of 5m. The ships are fitted with one LM2500 gas turbine, two Jeumont electric motors and four N43B diesel generators producing a top speed of 27kt and a range of 6,000nm.
Lorraine will likely be the last FREMM built in France, as Naval Group has shifted its operations to producing the Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention (FDI) programme ships. FREMM production continues with Fincantieri in Italy.
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