French Navy’s first defense and intervention frigate kicks off sea trials

French shipbuilder Naval Group has unveiled that French Navy’s first defense and intervention frigate (FDI) Amiral Ronarc’h started sea trials.

Intended to be operated by the French Navy, FDI Amiral Ronarc’h has begun its first sea trials from the Naval Group site of Lorient, Brittany.

As disclosed, this phase enables crews to get to grips with their future ship and to test all the systems and equipment in real-life situations. As the Amiral Ronarc’h is the first unit in the FDI program, the feedback from its trials will benefit the other units ordered by the French Navy and the Hellenic Navy (Greece).

Unlike the initial tests usually carried out on frigates, these tests will go beyond the simple perimeter of navigation and propulsion, with tests also being carried out on the combat system in real conditions at sea, the company noted.

The FDI frigate is a multipurpose, resilient high-sea vessel capable of operating, alone or as part of a naval force, in all areas of combat: anti-ship, anti-air, anti-submarine, asymmetric threats and special forces projection.

Technical specifications include:

• Displacement: 4,500 tons class;
• Length: 122 meters;
• Width: 18 meters;
• Speed: 27 knots;
• Autonomy: 45 days;
• Accommodation: crew of 125 + 28 passengers.

They are also the first frigates to benefit onboard from a digital architecture that will enable them to adapt continuously to technological and operational developments. As a result, the FDIs will be able to deal with current and future high-spectrum threats, with 360° coverage in all frequency bands, and process an ever-increasing amount of data.

The FDI will also be the first French frigates to be natively protected against the cyber threat.

“Powerfully armed (Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles, ASTER anti-aircraft missiles, MU90 antisubmarine torpedoes, artillery of various calibres), the FDIs intended for the French Navy can carry a heavy helicopter (10t class, such as the Caïman Marine) or the future Guépard Marine and an aerial drone, as well as deploying special forces with two commando boats,” Naval Group stated.

They are equipped with the new-generation Sea Fire radar with four fixed panels, developed by Thales, which, combined with the missile deployment system, gives them extended area defence capabilities.