Naval Group from France launches FREMM Lorraine frigate for the French Navy.

According to a press release published on November 13, 2020, the French Company Naval Group has launched the FREMM Lorraine frigate for the French Navy in Lorient, France, on Friday 13th November. This ship was ordered by the French General Directorate of Armament (DGA) on behalf of the French Navy.
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French Company Naval Group launches its new FREMM Lorraine for the French Navy on November 13, 2020. (Picture source Naval Group Screen shot video)

The program management is entrusted to the Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAR). The FREMM Lorraine is the tenth unit of the FREMM series produced by Naval Group, and the eighth and last one added to the French Navy’s fleet.

It is also the second FREMM frigate of the FREMM DA type, presenting an enhanced air defence capability.

The French Minister of Armed Forces (Minister of Defence) Florence Parly, Admiral Pierre Vandier, Chief of Staff of the French Navy, and General Engineer Emmanuelle Thivillier, in charge of naval programs at the French General Directorate of Armament (DGA) as well as the Chairman and CEO of Naval Group, Pierre Eric Pommellet, alongside employees from the Lorient site participated to the launching ceremony.

Fifty-four months after the start of the production, the FREMM DA Lorraine left the construction form of Naval Group site in Lorient. This operation took place on Friday 13th November 2020, fully complying with the schedule set by the Military Planning Law, while respecting the safety and health rules currently enforced.

Technical adaptations have been made on both FREMM DA such as a more powerful multifunction radar supplied by Thales, enhanced communications, three additional consoles of the Setis® Combat Management System in the "central operations center" with an enhanced air defence capability through the use of Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles. The FREMM DA also benefits from a new mast, optimized to increase detection performance. In addition to performing the same anti-submarine warfare missions as the previous FREMMs, the FREMM DAs will be responsible for the air defence of major units: Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, or amphibious helicopter carriers (PHA) as part of the naval or amphibious air group.

More generally, the FREMM frigates integrate the evolution of systems over time to ensure the latest units of the series benefit from the latest technologies such as: additional cyber

Technical characteristics of FREMM DA:

 The FREMM program has been running on a stable schedule since the last Military Planning Law. Eight units of the FREMM series have been delivered between 2012 and 2019. Aquitaine in 2012, Provence in 2015, Languedoc in 2016, Auvergne in April 2017, Bretagne in July 2018 and Normandie in July 2019. Alsace was launched on April 18, 2019 and will be delivered in 2021. Internationally, the Mohammed VI was delivered to Morocco in 2014 and the Tahya Misr was delivered in Egypt in 2015.

FREMM DA Alsace is heavily armed and uses the most powerful weapons systems and equipment such as the Herakles multifunction radar, the Aster 15 and 30 and Exocet MM 40 missiles and the MU 90 torpedoes. The performance of her combat system is enhanced with increased radar and communication capabilities, new radar and electro-optical fire control and a SETIS® Combat Management System with specific air defence functions.

Technical data:

• Overall length: 142 meters
• Width : 20 meters
• Displacement: 6,000 tons
• Maximum speed: 27 knots
• Crew capacity: 123 people (+ 14 people for the helicopter detachment)
• Accommodation capacity: 165 people
• Autonomy: 6 000 nautical miles to 15 knots