Naval Group floats first French FDI frigate
The Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention (FDI) ships, including Amiral Ronarc'h pictured, feature an inverted bow for better seakeeping. (Photo: Naval Group)
French shipbuilder Naval Group is building eight, plus a possible extra one, FDI frigates for the French and Greek navies.
On 7 November, Naval Group floated out the first Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention (FDI) ship, Amiral Ronarc'h, at its Lorient shipyard.
Amiral Ronarc'h will be delivered to the French Navy in 2024 after sea trials are held next year.
The remaining seven ships of the programme will be produced in series until 2030.
The ship has been floated in the dry dock where it was assembled and will be moved to a pier at the shipyard for outfitting later this week.
The float-out comes less than a year after the keel of Amiral Ronarc'h was laid last December.
From ship four of the programme, the second frigate for France, blocks for the vessels will be built in Greece by Salamis Shipyards.
These blocks will then be transported to Lorient for outfitting and integration.
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