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
-
![UK’s $1 billion AUKUS support request signals strong ongoing US collaboration]()
UK’s $1 billion AUKUS support request signals strong ongoing US collaboration
The latest foreign military sales request from the UK has implications for the future of the programme and collaboration between the three nations.
-
![What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement]()
What the rise of interoperability between Western allies means for defence procurement
Major naval initiatives including the European Patrol Corvette programmes and Norway’s UK partnership-focused purchase of Type 26 frigates point to the growing interest in the advantages of commonality across allied navies.
-
![Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration]()
Kraken’s Royal Navy USV contract signals next step in crewed-uncrewed integration
The UK Royal Navy’s rapid procurement of uncrewed platforms aligns with the force’s strategic shift towards a fleet better equipped to handle modern threats.
-
![HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment]()
HMS Anson’s milestone stay in Australia cut short during AUKUS deployment
The Astute-class submarine’s visit to Australia was the first time maintenance activity on a UK Royal Navy nuclear submarine had been carried out in the country.
