FREMM multipurpose frigate
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | FREMM |
| Operators: |  Marine Nationale Marina Militare |
| Preceded by: | F67 type frigates, F70 type frigates A69 type avisos, Maestrale type frigates and Lupo type frigates |
| Subclasses: | anti-submarine version land attack version (FR) |
| Planned: | 28 |
| Completed: | 0 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Frigate |
| Displacement: | 5,600 tonnes |
| Length: | 137 m |
| Beam: | 19 m |
| Draught: | 5 m |
| Propulsion: | GE/Avio LM 2500 G4 gas turbine 34 MW + 2 EPM (4 D/Gen 2.1 MW) |
| Speed: | Over 27 knots (50 km/h) |
| Range: | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) |
| Complement: | 108 (accommodation available for 145) |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
Herakles (Fr) or Empar (It) radar |
| Armament: |
MU 90 torpedoes |
| Aircraft carried: | 1 (Fr), 2 (It)NH90 helicopter, capability for EH101 (It) |
The FREMM Multipurpose Frigate (French Frégate multi-mission or Italian Fregata Europea Multi-Missione) is a ship designed by DCN and Fincantieri to operate in anti-air, anti-submarine and anti-ship warfare, and be capable of carrying out deep strikes against land targets.
The French Navy plans to operate seventeen FREMM frigates, and the Marina Militare ten. The first commissionings are expected in 2011 when the first of the French vessels is due in service (France has so far placed orders for 8 FREMM frigates [1], Italy 6 [2] with last 4 has been funded at the end of 2007). The ships will be built in France by Armaris (a joint venture between state shipyard DCN and arms firm Thales), and in Italy by Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (a joint venture between shipbuilder Fincantieri and aerospace firm Finmeccanica). This arrangement extends the partnerships forged for development of the Horizon CNGFs (Common New Generation Frigates). Morocco has bought one frigate to be operated by the Royal Moroccan Navy [3].
France will use the seventeen frigates to replace the anti-submarine Tourville class frigates (F67 type), the anti-submarine Georges Leygues class frigates (F70 type) and the A69 type avisos. Of the new frigates, France will build 8 anti-submarine (ASW) and 9 land-attack (LA) frigates; Italy will build 4 ASW and 6 general-purpose (GP) frigates to replace the (8) Maestrale and (4) Lupo class frigates.
The FREMM will be the first European warships to include drones in their standard equipment [4].
The first eight French ships have been named Aquitaine, Normandie, Provence, Bretagne, Auvergne, Languedoc, Alsace and Lorraine. The first two Italian ships have been named Carlo Bergamini and Carlo Margottini.
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[edit] Versions
Two versions of the frigates are planned: one anti-submarine version and a land attack (FR)/general-purpose (IT) version. French and Italians will use these with some equipment which will differ between the two countries. The French as considering an anti-air version called FREDA, which might in time replace the two units of the Cassard class.
In spite of the existence of two different versions of the FREMM, their design as well as most of their armament will be similar.
[edit] Common armament
- MU 90 torpedoes
- MM-40 Exocet block 3 (France version)
- Teseo\Otomat Mk-2/A block 4, for naval and land attack (Italian version)
- MBDA Aster SAAM in SYLVER launchers
- Otobreda 76 mm Super Rapid gun with Davide ammunition
- two light guns (20mm in French version and 25mm in Italian version)
- NH90 helicopter, capability for EH101 (Italian version)
[edit] Anti-Submarine version
- Towed sonar : Captas UMS 4249
- Other torpedoes
- MILAS ASW missile (Italian ASW FF only)
- Multi-beam echo sounder (Italian ASW FF only)
[edit] Land attack version
The Land attack version is dubbed AVT ("Action vers la terre", "action towards land") for france and GP ("General Purpose") for Italy
- 127/64 mm Otobreda LW with Vulcano guided ammution with a range up to 120km (Italian LA only)
- SCALP EG Naval cruise missile in Sylver-70 launchers (French LA only)
[edit] Anti-air version
The anti-air version is dubbed FREDA ("Frégates de défense aériennes", "Air defence frigate"). Following the cancellation of the third and fourth Horizon class frigates, the French Navy has started studies for an anti-air version of the FREMM, called FREDA. The FREDA should carry 16 Aster 30 and 16 Aster 15. They would also have the standard dotation of one 76 mm gun, two 20 mm guns and 8 Exocet missiles. [5]
[edit] French service
The first eight French frigates are to be named
[edit] Italian Service
The construction of the first two Italian vessels has begun. The first two ships will be named:
- Carlo Bergamini
- Carlo Margottini
[edit] Export
On 10/24/2007 it was announced the Moroccan navy ordered one FREMM through French marketing. The ship will be built in Lorient by DCNS. It will replace the Descubierta class frigate currently used.[6]. The contract was reported signed on April, 18 2008 yet it is still not officially announced.[7]
[edit] External links
- (French) French Navy Official Page [8]
- (Italian) Italian Navy Official Page [9]
- (English) Detail, story and image on Italian FREMM [10]
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