French Warships: The FREMM multipurpose frigates Provence and Languedoc

The FREMM (Frégate européenne multi-mission or European multi-purpose frigate) was designed Naval Group (France) and Fincantieri (Italy) for their respective navies.

In France the class is known as the Aquitaine-class and comprises six anti-submarine frigates and two air defence frigates. They are Aquitaine (D650); Normandie (D651); Provence (D652); Languedoc (D653); Auvergne (D654); Bretagne (D655); Alsace; and Lorraine. (The first six are the anti-submarine frigates, and are in service or just about to enter service; the last two are air defence frigates and will be in service by 2022.

The characteristics of the French ships are:

• Displacement: 6,000 tonnes
• Dimensions:
• Length: 466ft (142m)
• Beam: 66ft (20m)
• Draught: 15ft (5m)
• Propulsion: 1 × General Electric/Avio LM2500+G4 gas turbine, 4 x MTU Series 4000 diesel generators and 2 × Jeumont Electric electric motors driving 2 shafts
• Speed: 27 knots
• Range: 6,000 nautical miles at 15 knots
• Complement: 145
• Armament: 16-cell MBDA SYLVER A43 or A50 VLS for 16 MBDA Aster 15 or 30 surface-to-air missiles; 1 × Leonardo OTO Melara 76/62mm gun; 3 × Nexter 20mm Narwhal remote weapon systems; 8 × MBDA MM-40 Exocet block 3 anti-ship missiles; 16-cell MBDA SYLVER A70 VLS for 16 MBDA SCALP Naval land-attack cruise missiles; 2 x double Eurotorp (WASS) B-515/3 launcher for MU 90 torpedoes
• Aircraft: 1 × NH90 (or similar) helicopter

The Italian Navy has six general purpose and four anti-submarine FREMM frigates in service or being built, and the Royal Moroccan and Egyptian Navies each have an anti-submarine FREMM frigate in service.