After
five years of construction led in Lorient by DCNS contractors and partners,
the multi-mission frigate FREMM Aquitaine (head of class) sailed Tuesday
6 November to join Brest French naval base, her future home port. Final
testing of the ship's systems will continue until the end of 2012.
The construction of FFG Aquitaine, which started in March 2007, is now
over. On Tuesday, November 6th, the frigate manned by a French Navy
crew celebrated her departure from Lorient with twenty-one shots from
her gun, as per the tradition.
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"The
departure of the FREMM Aquitaine from DCNS Lorient to Brest is the opportunity
to salute the industrial and technological prowess made in recent years
by employees of DCNS," said Vincent Martinot-Lagarde, FREMM
program manager. "FREMM Aquitaine being the first unit in a
series of twelve frigates, the construction and integration of the various
systems of the prototype in a timely manner truly is a performance.
This success is only possible by the strength of our employees involved
in the design and construction of high-tech solutions to meet the maritime
challenges of the twenty-first century"
The final tests of FREMM Aquitaine will continue in Brest. The new generation
warship will be delivered to the French Navy in the coming weeks. Implemented
by a small crew of 108 sailors, the FREMM has been designed to carry
out versatile missions such as air defense, anti-surface and anti-submarine
warfare.
FREMM frigates are built with DCNS as prime contractor. These are amongst
the most technologically advanced and competitive ships on the market.
Heavily armed, they implement the most advanced weapons systems and
equipment, such as Herakles multifunction radar, Aster surface-to-air
missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles and MU 90 torpedoes.
To date, five FREMM are under construction at the DCNS Shipyard in Lorient:
• The Mohammed VI, second of the series, for the Royal Navy of
Morocco, was set afloat in September 2011.
• The Normandie, third ship in the FREMM series, has just been
set afloat.
• The Provence, fourth of the series, will soon be assembled
• The Auvergne and Languedoc, fifth and sixth ships of the FREMM
series saw their construction begin respectively in September 2011 and
August 2012. |
