DCNS Unveils FM400, Gowind Warships
By pierre tran
Published: 19 Sep 14:13 EDT (18:13 GMT) Print | Email
LORIENT, France - Naval company DCNS unveiled Sept. 17 plans for the FM400, a range of 4,000-metric-ton frigates aimed at export markets and derived from the larger FREMM multimission warship bought by France and Italy.
DCNS markets the FM400 as a "combat and control frigate," with four versions of the same platform, DCNS executive Marc Le Roy told a news conference organized by the GICAN trade association, which hosts the Euronaval trade show opening Oct. 27.
The warship builder has drawn on its work on the 6,000-ton FREMM frigate to design the
FM400, which will be offered to world navies in models optimized for general purpose, anti-submarine, air defense and land attack missions.
The planned ship is intended to operate in blue and "brown" coastal waters, working against conventional and asymmetrical threats, independently and as part of a task force, Le Roy said. The vessel uses a stealthy design and would be offered with the new Setis combat management system, which centralizes information from the ship's sensors and provides decision support for engagement.
The FM400 would be 126 meters long, have a top speed of 25 to 29 knots, sail up to 7,500 nautical miles and accommodate up to 130 personnel, including a crew of about 100. No price details were available.
A crew of 108 can run the FREMM vessel instead of the 250 needed to operate an older frigate, said François-Olivier Dall, FREMM program manager for the Délégation Générale pour l'Armement, (DGA), the procurement office. That smaller crewing is possible because of a high level of automation, which means a savings of around 20 percent in operational costs and higher operational availability, he said.
France and Italy worked together to agree on a general design of the FREMM, and share commonality of 25 percent on the ship, as each country opted for national preferences in equipment and detailed design for internal layout, Dall said. That commonality compares with 90 percent on the Horizon air defense frigate, of which France and Italy are each buying two units.
DCNS has also extended the range of its Gowind corvette, which is now offered from 1,000 to 2,500 tons, and has been branded in the combat, action, presence and control missions.
The ships' lengths go from 85 meters to 105 meters and can be used in operations in littoral waters, economic exclusion zones and the high seas. Prices of the Gowind depend on the equipment ordered, Le Roy said.
DCNS hopes to sell the Gowind to Bulgaria and the FREMM to Greece.
The naval systems company is under pressure to sell more ships to foreign governments to offset a decline in orders in France as a result of budgetary cuts. The French government is expected to reduce its buy of FREMM warships from 17 to 11, and DCNS must sign export deals to make up the difference if it is to maintain a competitive pricing for the multimission vessel in markets at home and abroad.
DCNS Unveils FM400, Gowind Warships - Defense News