Order for Three FREMM Multimission Frigates
(Source: French Ministry of Defence; issued Oct. 8, 2009)
(Issued in French; unofficial translation by defense-aerospace.com)
Hervé Morin, Minister of Defense, today conducted in Lorient the ceremonial cutting of the first steel for Normandy, the French navys second FREMM multimission frigate. On this occasion he made public the recent order for three additional FREMM ships. The FREMM program about fifty million man-hours of work to several thousand French workers until 2022.
On September 30, 2009 the Organization for Joint Cooperation in Armaments (Occar), acting on behalf of the French defence procurement agency, DGA, awarded DCNS an order for one FREMM frigate in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) configuration, and two other ships in air-defence configuration (FREDA).
This latest order brings to eleven the number of FREMM frigates ordered for the French navy, the first eight having been ordered in November 2005. All ships of this class will be named after French provinces. The first FREMM, Aquitaine, will be delivered in 2012. This Franco-Italian program provides for the delivery of 21 frigates for both countries.
The multimission frigates will eventually constitute the backbone of the surface fleet in the various segments of naval warfare (anti-submarine, anti-aircraft, anti-ship and asymmetrical).
Displacing 6,000 tons and 142 meters long, these ships will be capable of reaching a top speed of 27 knots, and will be crewed by only 108 officers and ratings. They will be heavily armed, with MM-40 Exocet anti-ship missiles, Aster air-defence missiles and MU-90 torpedoes. The French navys first nine frigates, configured for ASW operations, will in addition have a deep strike role thanks to the future naval cruise missile due to enter service in 2014.
The two FREDA air-defence variants are designed to protect a carrier battle group or an amphibious task force against aircraft and missiles. All FREMM ships will operate an NH90 helicopter and carry a special forces detachment and its equipment.
Building eleven FREMM ships by 2022 will provide a very significant proportion of the workload of DCNs, mainly at its Lorient shipyard but also at its facilities at Brest and Cherbourg and at numerous sub-contractors, mainly SMEs.
Regarding exports, a frigate sold to Morocco is currently being built in Lorient and other countries have expressed interest in the innovative FREMM concept. (ends)
FREMM Multimission Frigates: DCNS Prime Contractor for Europes Largest Naval Defence Programme
(Source: DCNS; issued Oct. 8, 2009)
DCNS has signed an order supplement for three new vessels under the European FREMM multimission frigate programme. This brings Frances total order to 11 vessels, scheduled for delivery from 2012 to 2022.
Contract confirmation was announced today by the French Minister for Defence, Mr Hervé Morin, at the production launch of Frances second multimission frigate in the series, the Normandie.
This amendment to the FREMM multimission frigate contract calls for the development and construction of three additional vessels, [of which] two in air defence configuration, as well as capability enhancements for all frigates in the series and a delivery schedule of one vessel every 10 months. It also calls for operational support for these state-of-the-art vessels in their first years of service.
I would like to thank the French defence procurement agency and the Navy for their support and the confidence they have placed in us, said Patrick Boissier, Chairman & CEO of DCNS. DCNS is proud to be part of Europes most ambitious naval cooperation programme and contribute to this new chapter in the construction of a Europe-wide naval defence community. A project on this scale is a remarkable human adventure as well as an industrial challenge and shows what our teams are able to design and build to meet the emerging requirements of our customers.
With one vessel delivered every 10 months, the programme represents a significant increase in workload for DCNS and its industrial partners. The Brittany region of France will be the main beneficiaries in terms of employment. The FREMM project provides 3 million hours of employment each year and almost 50 million hours over the duration of the programme, which runs from 2006 to 2022. Each frigate is equivalent to the construction of two Millau viaducts.
The FREMM frigates are the most technologically advanced as well as the most competitive vessels on the market. Built under DCNS prime contractorship, they are heavily armed and carry state-of-the-art weapon systems and equipment, including the Herakles multifunction radar, MU90 torpedoes and Aster and Exocet MM40 missiles.
The FREMM frigates are highly automated to allow reduced crewing. They are inherently versatile to provide a response to all types of threats. World-leading innovation ensures that they offer unparalleled levels of interoperability and readiness. And with their intrinsic flexibility, they can match the requirements of most DCNS customers around the world, as demonstrated by our recent success in Morocco.
DCNS is a leading European player on the world market for naval defence systems. The Group designs, builds and supports surface combatants, submarines and mission-critical systems and equipment incorporating the most advanced technologies. The Group employs 12,000 staff and generates annual revenues of around EUR 2.5 billion.
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/article-view/release/108896/france-orders-3-additional-fremm-frigates.html
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