Naval Group delivered multi-mission frigate Bretagne, the fifth FREMM for the French Navy.

On July 18 Naval Group delivered the FREMM multi-mission frigate Bretagne to the French Navy (Marine Nationale). This frigate is the fifth of the series ordered by OCCAR on behalf of the DGA (French defense procurement agency).

FREMM multi-mission frigate Bretagne. Picture: Naval Group

FREMM Bretagne is the fifth multi-mission frigate delivered to the French Navy and the seventh unit built by Naval Group. It has been officially accepted by OCCAR, (the prime contractor for the FREMMs for France and Italy) on July 18, 2018.

"With the delivery of FREMM Bretagne, Naval Group once again demonstrates its capacity to manage complex programs. The FREMM program is now focused on the delivery, within tight deadlines to meet our commitments, of Normandy, the last multi - mission frigate specializing in anti - submarine warfare, before the end of 2019, " underlines Nicolas Gaspard, director of the FREMM program.

The FREMM program will ultimately represent the construction of ten ships at the Lorient shipyard, including eight for the French Navy. Six FREMMs are set to be delivered to the French Navy by the end of 2019, in accordance with the 2019-2025 military planning law.

Naval Group is currently completing the FREMM Normandie, which was launched on 1 February 2018. The group is also continuing the assembly of FREMM DA Alsace, the first FREMM frigate with enhanced anti-aircraft defense capabilities. Work started on the second FREMM DA and tenth FREMM of the series, the Lorraine frigate

Overview of the FREMM series by Naval Group
Aquitaine, first in the series, delivered in 2012
Mohammed VI, delivered to the Royal Moroccan Navy in 2014
Provence delivered in June 2015
Tahya Misr, delivered to the Egyptian Navy in June 2015
Languedoc delivered on 16 March 2016
Auvergne, delivered on 11 April 2017
Bretagne, delivered on 18 July 2018
Normandie, to be delivered in 2019
Alsace and Lorraine with strengthened anti-aircraft capacities to be delivered in 2021 and 2022

According to the French Navy, FREMM Frigates missions include:
- The control of a zone of air-sea operations;
- ASuW, ASW and AAW;
- Deep strike with the naval cruise missile;
- The support of power projection operations (amphibious, special forces...)

The FREMMs are the first vessels in Europe to deploy the naval cruise missile (MdCN) for which the first firing took place on 19 May 2015 from the FREMM Aquitaine.