FREMM frigate Provence ready for outfitting

The fourth Aquitaine-class FREMM frigate to be built by DCNS for the French Navy has been floated out of its building dock at the Lorient shipyard on 18 September. 

The vessel, called FREMM frigate Provence, will now be outfitted with systems including the masts and sensors, radars, antennas, cameras and jammers by DCNS specialists and subcontractor teams.

Five FREMM multimission frigates are currently in different stages of assembly, with a total of 11 on order for the French Navy. A 12th vessel is being built for the Royal Moroccan Navy.

The FREMM multimission frigates are designed to perform missions including anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW). They will carry advanced weapons and systems including the Herakles multifunction radar, Aster anti-air missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles and MU90 torpedoes.

The highly automated surface combatants require a complement of 108, less than half the number required to man earlier generation vessels with similar capabilities.

The first-of-class FREMM frigate Aquitaine for the French Navy was delivered in November 2012.

The construction of fifth-of-type FREMM frigate Languedoc will begin shortly in the building dock just vacated by the Provence.