Bretagne completes first sea trials
The French Navy’s FREMM multi-mission frigate Bretagne has successfully completed first sea trials in Lorient, North-Western France, the International Organization for Cooperation on Arms (OCCAR) has announced.
During the trials, performance of the frigate’s propulsion and navigation systems was tested. Further tests and trials of various systems, including the combat management system, are scheduled to take place over the coming weeks.
Bretagne will be France's fifth anti-submarine warfare frigate, and is due to be delivered to the French Navy in mid-2018. Four FREMM frigates have been delivered to the French Navy, and three other ships are at different stages of assembly and construction at Naval Group Lorient shipyard.
The FREMM frigates are equipped with advanced systems, including the Héraclès multifunction radar, naval cruise missiles, Aster and Exocet MM40 missiles and MU 90 torpedoes.
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
UK MoD’s confirmation of MBDA missile for Type 26 points to more European collaboration
The Type 26 will also be fitted with the Sea Ceptor vertically launched air defence system that can fire CAMM missiles and a 24-cell Mk 41 vertical launch system that can fire the Tomahawk land-attack cruise missiles, anti-submarine rockets and long-range anti-ship missiles.
-
Second Royal Canadian Navy Joint Support Ship is on schedule to be launched mid-2026
While the first Joint Support Ship is currently in the final stages of outfitting, the second one is on schedule for launching next year.
-
Is South Korea finally being taken seriously for Western submarine programmes?
South Korean shipbuilders are beginning to make their mark beyond Asia, competing for major North American and European submarine programmes and becoming serious contenders on a global scale.
-
AUKUS Pillar 2 could narrow focus to “four key areas” says UK official
Few concrete ideas have emerged so far on which “advanced capabilities” will be brought forward under Pillar 2 of the AUKUS partnership, but the Pentagon’s review of the programme could bring more clarity.
-
Sweden’s decision on four new warships inches closer as it eyes UK, France and Spain
Sweden decided last year that it wanted a significantly larger warship for its Luleå Class programme than originally planned, with three likely contenders that could potentially deliver within the country’s tight schedule.