France orders fifth FDI frigate Amiral Cabanier to maintain 15 first rank warships through 2032.

France confirmed the order of its fifth FDI (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention) frigate, Amiral Cabanier, from Naval Group to sustain a fleet of 15 first-rank warships and reinforce high-end naval combat capability through 2032.

The contract, awarded by the French General Directorate of Armaments (DGA) on March 31, 2026, completes the French Navy’s five-ship program and secures continued production at Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard alongside earlier units, following the fourth ship order in December 2025 and the delivery of Amiral Ronarc’h in October 2025. The decision strengthens France’s first-rank surface combatant fleet, enhancing multi-domain naval warfare capabilities, including air defense, anti-submarine warfare, and high-intensity maritime operations.

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As a first-rank frigate, the French FDI is capable of operating independently or as part of a task force, providing anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine, and asymmetric operations within a single unit. (Picture source: French Navy)

On March 31, 2026, France confirmed the order of a fifth FDI frigate following a contract notification issued by the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA), completing the initial five-ship program for the French Navy within the current military programming framework. The vessel, to be named Amiral Cabanier, constitutes the final unit of the baseline series and is being built by Naval Group at its Lorient shipyard, where all French and export units are assembled. This order follows the contract for the fourth frigate placed in December 2025 and occurs as the lead ship, Amiral Ronarc’h, delivered on October 17, 2025, is conducting its long-duration deployment after initial sea trials, including operations in sea state 6 in the Atlantic.

The FDI is intended to replace the five La Fayette-class frigates and sustain a force of 15 first-rank combatants, while reinforcing surface fleet capabilities against evolving threats. Deliveries are scheduled between 2025 and 2032, with the final unit expected at the end of that cycle. The decision confirms both program completion and the continuation of industrial activity at Lorient. The fifth unit, Amiral Cabanier, confirms the original program structure defined at launch in April 2017, when the FTI program was initiated before being redesignated FDI in 2019, to field five new-generation frigates. The first three units (Amiral Ronarc'h, Amiral Louzeau, and Amiral Castex) were ordered in March 2021, while the fourth (Amiral Nomy) and fifth orders in December 2025 and March 2026 ensured continuity in production sequencing.

The program also compensates for the reduction in the number of FREMM units, from an initial plan of 17 down to 8, requiring the introduction of additional first-rank ships to maintain fleet balance. The timeline foresees entry into service of the second FDI unit in 2027, the third in 2028, followed by the fourth and fifth by 2031 and 2032. Operational availability targets are aligned with FREMM performance levels, which have maintained availability rates of about 80 percent over a decade. This continuity supports sustained deployment cycles and reduces capability gaps during the transition phase. 

Industrial production is centralized at Lorient, where Naval Group has invested to enable a sustained output rate, including the ability to deliver two ships per year when combining domestic and export demand. With the inclusion of four units built for Greece, total production now reaches nine frigates, creating a continuous workload for the shipyard and its supply chain. The structure of the program allows for hull reallocations, as demonstrated by the transfer of an early French hull to Greece following the 2022 export contract, and the subsequent adjustment of the French production sequence.

Discussions within the French Navy continue regarding an increase in the number of first-rank frigates from 15 to 18, reflecting operational constraints observed in recent deployments where a single crisis can mobilize most available assets. Extending the FDI production line is currently assessed as the most feasible option to reach that objective within controlled costs and timelines. However, sustaining export success remains a key factor in keeping the line active into the next decade. Export activity continues to influence the FDI's production planning and configuration choices, with Naval Group engaged in ongoing competitions in Sweden and Denmark, while also positioning the FDI in Norway, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.

The frigate is marketed as a mid-size high-end frigate capable of replacing aging fleets while maintaining interoperability with NATO standards, which are embedded in its design. Previous sales to Greece, including three confirmed units with a fourth under discussion, have already required adjustments in scheduling and demonstrated the flexibility of the production process. The possibility of reassigning partially built hulls provides a mechanism to accelerate delivery timelines for export customers while maintaining industrial efficiency. These export campaigns place the FDI in competition with European, U.S., and Asian designs, with emphasis on delivery speed, cost control, and combat system integration. The outcome of these campaigns will directly affect the duration of production at Lorient and potential follow-on orders for the French Navy. 

The FDI (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention) itself was designed as a first-rank frigate for high-intensity naval operations, integrating anti-air, anti-surface, anti-submarine, and asymmetric warfare capabilities within a displacement of about 4,460 tons and a length of 121.6 meters. The ship can operate independently or as part of a task group, as it is equipped to counter threats, including modern submarines, supersonic anti-ship missiles, drones, and complex multi-vector attacks. Its propulsion system consists of four MTU 16V 8000 M91L diesel engines delivering a combined output of 32 MW, enabling a maximum speed of 27 knots and a range of 5,000 nautical miles at 15 knots, with an endurance of 45 days.

The FDI's design also incorporates reduced radar cross-section features and has demonstrated seakeeping performance in high sea states during trials. Automation reduces crew size to about 111 personnel, with additional capacity for aviation detachments and mission-specific teams. A key element of the design is its digital architecture, which replaces traditional distributed computing systems with two centralized onboard data centers hosting combat system applications, ship management functions, and sensor processing. These data centers are physically separated within the ship to ensure redundancy and are protected against cyber intrusion through dedicated monitoring systems capable of detecting anomalies and initiating countermeasures.

The computing environment supports large-scale data processing, enabling real-time fusion of information from radar, sonar, electronic warfare, and external sources. This architecture allows software-based upgrades to be implemented throughout the ship’s lifecycle, reducing the need for hardware modifications and enabling rapid adaptation to evolving threats. The system also integrates cybersecurity management tools that continuously analyze network activity and support operator decision-making in the event of an attack. This approach reflects a broader shift in naval design toward software-defined naval systems with increased reliance on data processing capabilities. 

The FDI's sensor suite is organized around a single integrated mast structure combining radar, electronic warfare, communications, and optronic systems, providing 360-degree coverage and reducing electromagnetic interference between subsystems. The Sea Fire radar, using four fixed AESA panels, is capable of tracking and engaging multiple targets simultaneously, including low-observable and high-speed threats, with detection ranges extending to several hundred kilometers for aerial targets. The ship is also equipped with a KingKlip Mk2 hull sonar and a CAPTAS-4 Compact towed array, enabling long-range anti-submarine detection and tracking. Electronic warfare systems detect and classify radar and communication emissions, while optronic sensors provide visual identification and tracking at long distances.

This combination allows the ship to process a large number of contacts in complex environments, including coastal areas with high signal density, improving both coordinated engagement and situational awareness across all domains. The standard armament configuration for the FDI includes eight Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles, vertical launch systems for Aster 15 and Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles, MU90 torpedoes deployed from twin launchers, and a 76 mm main gun supported by two 20 mm remotely operated cannons. The initial configuration provides 16 Aster missiles, with later units such as Amiral Nomy and Amiral Cabanier expected to carry 32 missiles through additional vertical launch modules, aligning with configurations adopted for Greek units.

The ship can deploy a naval helicopter such as the NH90 or H160M, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles, and can embark special forces with dedicated boats. A dedicated onboard center for asymmetric warfare management is installed separately from the main operations room, enabling rapid response to threats such as drones and small surface craft using both lethal and non-lethal systems. As this architecture allows for the integration of future systems without major structural modifications, the FDI also includes provisions for future short-range air defense systems such as the MPLS and electronic countermeasures.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.