FREMM European Multimission Stealth Frigate
French shipbuilder DCNS has launched Morocco's first and only FREMM frigate
The FREMM European multimission frigate is a joint programme between France and Italy. It will build 21 FREMM frigates for the French Navy and the Italian Navy. The frigates are 140m in overall length and 20m wide with displacement of 6,000t. The ship's complement is 108 officers and crew.
FREMM design features
The frigate's layout has been designed to provide sufficient size for operational effectiveness, maintainability and sustained upgrades.
The layout incorporates increased headroom between decks, deeper and longer engine compartments, and larger equipment pathways for access and maintenance.
For quayside maintenance, the frigate is fitted with an aft side door for loading and unloading equipment, load handling equipment and a wide lower deck passage way.
The consoles on the integrated bridge are for all main platform functions including navigation, steering and communications.
The bridge also allows operators to manage and control all platform systems, to monitor safety and security and to coordinate other operations
French FREMM frigate details
The French frigates are being built in two mission versions, the land attack (action vers la terre or AVT) version that will be fitted with torpedoes and vertically launched self-defence and cruise missiles and an anti-submarine warfare ASW version, fitted with torpedoes, vertical launch self defence missiles and an active towed array sonar.
Sensors
Thales is responsible for the development and supply of the French FREMM surveillance and communications suites.
Systems will include Thales Artemis infra-red search and track (IRST) system and the Herakles 3D S-band multifunction surveillance and fire control radar for the frigates' anti-air weapons systems.
Artemis is based on medium-wave staring focal plane arrays and uses multiple static sensor heads rather than mechanical scanning. Herakles has a range of 250km against air targets and 80km against surface targets.
Command and control
The upgradeable high-performance combat system by DCN and Thales is based on a high-speed data network. The combat system architecture will enable future weapon systems to be integrated into the frigates.
The ship's Nato standard external communications include Link 11, Link 16, Link 22 and JSAT tactical data links, allowing full interoperability with Nato forces.
Internal communications include messaging, conventional and wireless telephony, public address, closed circuit television and internet and intranet ports.
Missile variations and weaponry
For anti-ship capability, the French FREMMs are to be armed with MBDA's Exocet MM40 block 3 anti-ship missiles, which will be controlled via a CMS multifunction console by a Mer-Mer weapon control system. Block 3 missiles have longer range and an enhanced navigation system to give a littoral attack capability.
The MBDA Aster 15 air defence missile system for the AVT and ASW French frigates will provide protection against supersonic and subsonic threats. Aster 15 has a minimum range of 1.7km and a maximum range of 30km against subsonic airborne threats.
The MBDA Scalp Naval vertically launched cruise missile, which is scheduled to enter service in 2013, will provide the French AVT FREMM's land attack capability.
MBDA was awarded a contract for the first batch of 50 Scalp missiles for FREMM frigates in January 2007.
The Sylver A-70 vertical launcher is being developed by DCN Ruelle. The missiles will use inertial guidance and electro-optical terrain contour matching (TERCOM) in the terminal target approach phase of flight. Scalp Naval has a range of more than 1,000km.
The French FREMM's main gun is the Oto Melara medium calibre 76/62 Super Rapide naval gun. The gun interfaces to an optronic fire control system. The gun is controlled control either via a CMS multifunction console or through a visual weapons director on the bridge. Four 12.7mm machine guns are installed for close-in defence.
Torpedoes
The French vessels will be armed with the Eurotorp MU 90 Impact torpedo. MU 90 has a directed energy warhead and a range of 12,000m at maximum speed and 25,000m at minimum speed.
Countermeasure technology
Thales is developing the integrated electronic warfare suite. Sagem was awarded a contract for the new-generation Dagaie system (NGDS) decoy system in January 2007.
Aircraft landing hangars
The frigate has an aft helicopter hangar and a helicopter deck of approximately 520m². The frigate is fitted with an emergency communication and remote briefing system with the ship's helicopter. The French AVT frigates will be fitted for a tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV). The AVT FREMM will also have the capability to control long-endurance, medium and high-altitude (MALE and HALE) unmanned air vehicles launched from ground sites or from other platforms.
"It will build 21 FREMM frigates for the French Navy and the Italian Navy."
Italian vessels will be fitted with the TC-ASIST helicopter handling system from Curtiss-Wright Controls of Charlotte, North Carolina.
Both the French and Italian frigates have gas turbines with two shafts driving fixed pitch propellers.
In March 2006, Avio of Italy was awarded the contract to supply the FREMM power plant for both countries, which will be the LM2500+G4 gas turbine, licensed-built from General Electric, which will provide 32MW of power.
The maximum speed is 27kt. For quiet anti-submarine operations the shafts are driven by electric motors and the frigate's speed in ASW silent mode is up to 15kt.
An azimuth thruster provides precision manoeuvring for quayside and harbour operations, station keeping and as a back-up emergency propulsion system.
