French Navy receives first FREMM air defence frigate
The FREMM frigate Alsace at sea (credit Naval Group)
Naval Group announced on 16 April the delivery of the FREMM DA air defence frigate Alsace to the French Navy base in Toulon.
Alsace is the first of the two air defence frigates to be delivered to the French Navy as part of the FREMM multimission frigate programme.
French shipbuilder Naval Group reported that the ship would be based in Toulon, and its delivery is on schedule despite the difficulties posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Naval Group Chairman and CEO Pierre Eric Pommellet said in an official statement: ‘We are very pleased to be here in Toulon for the delivery, on schedule despite the [COVID-19] health crisis, of this first FREMM multimission frigate with enhanced air defence capability.'
FREMM is one of the most ambitious and innovative European naval defence projects to date, involving 18 ships: eight for France and ten for Italy. These will be a mixture of anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare (like Alsace) and general-purpose variants.
Naval Group has been building French FREMM vessels since November 2012. Design work on Alsace began in 2016, and the ship was launched in April 2019.
Following its delivery, Alsace will be followed by Lorraine, which Naval Group reports will be delivered in the second half of 2022.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Frégate Européen multi-missions (FREMM) - Aquitaine Class
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
US Coast Guard enhances Arctic protection with a new Fast Response Cutter
After commissioning, FRC Frederick Mann will operate in Alaska and perform multiple missions.
-
US Coast Guard announces measures to further implement Force Design 2028 strategy
The US Coast Guard (USCG) created new units, including five Programme Executive Offices (PEOs), to facilitate and speed up the procurement of new capabilities.
-
Future of the US Navy’s Arleigh Burke programme remains unclear
The US Navy does not have a precise date for the award of the procurement contract for the third Arleigh Burke-class destroyer despite having the funds to advance with the programme in FY2025.
-
US Navy may look to foreign suppliers to accelerate shipbuilding programmes
The US Navy (USN) is currently reassessing its acquisition efforts and seeking ways to reduce the multiple delays across the shipbuilding initiatives.
-
Italy orders two ships as work begins on others along with deliveries and updates
The Italian Navy is being refreshed with two new ships ordered, while in the past six months steel was cut for a new frigate, an enhanced frigate was delivered and Horizon-class frigates passed a design review.