French Navy receives fifth FREMM multi-mission frigate ‘Bretagne’

French shipbuilder Naval Group has delivered the fifth FREMM multi-mission frigate, FS Bretagne, to the French Navy.

Bretagne was handed over to the French Government Defense procurement and technology agency (DGA) on July 18, nine months after it concluded its first trials.

The anti-submarine warfare configured frigate started construction in October 2013, launched in September 2016 and received its first commanding officer on September 20, 2017.

Before Bretagne, Naval Group delivered four frigates between 2012 and 2017. The Aquitaine in 2012, the Provence in 2015, the Languedoc in 2016 and the Auvergne in April 2017.

A sixth ship – Normandie – was launched in February this years and is set to leave the dock in autumn to undergo its first sea trials before delivery to the French Navy, foreseen in summer 2019.

The two final frigates, Alsace and Lorraine, will be delivered to the French Navy before the end of 2022, according to Naval Group. These frigates will be equipped with strengthened air defense capacities. The assembly of the FREMM Alsace in the Lorient building dock will start in spring 2018.

FREMM frigates are built within the international Italian-French program, coordinated by OCCAR (the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation).

The 142-meter long ships are equipped with the Aster and Exocet MM 40 missiles and the MU 90 torpedoes. They can reach maximum speeds of 27 knots and have a range of 6,000 miles at a speed of 15 knots. The ships can be operated by a crew of 108, with the helicopter detachment included.