Naval Group Lays Keel for the French Navy's First FDI Frigate

Naval Group on Thursday laid the keel of the first defence and intervention (FDI) frigate ordered by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) for the French Navy in the Lorient shipyard.

The frigate will be delivered in 2024. It is the first of a series of five ships to be delivered between 2024 and 2030.

On the same day, the Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module (PSIM), the integrated mast of the FDI, was also powered up. This symbolises the start of the testing of the frigate's complete combat system, several months before its final integration on the ship.

Five FDI frigates intended will be ordered by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) for the French Navy. This program reinforces the technological lead of the French naval industrial base, and of Naval Group in particular.

The first of the series will be named Amiral Ronarc'h, after a great admiral, Chief of Staff of the French Navy between 1919 and 1920, who distinguished himself during the First World War at the head of marines and sailors.

Following the signature on 28 September 2021 of a memorandum of understanding by the Greek Minister of Defence, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, Pierre Eric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group and Eric Béranger, CEO of MBDA, negotiations are underway for the acquisition by Greece of three FDI HN frigates.

The FDI is a high sea vessel with a 4,500 tons class displacement, a length of 122 meters and maximum speed of 27 knots. The vessel offers capabilities for anti-surface, anti-air, anti-submarine and as well as for special forces projection.

The FDI will be the first French frigate natively protected against cyber threats, with two data centres virtually accommodating a great part of the ship applications. The FDI introduces the concept of a dedicated system for asymmetric warfare. This system will enable the coordination and conduct of the fight against small and close air and surface threats, including booby trapped boats.

Heavily armed (Exocet MM40 B3C anti-surface missiles, Aster 15/30 anti-air missiles, MU90 antisubmarine torpedoes, artillery), the FDI is able to embark simultaneously a helicopter (10 tons class such as NH90) or the future Joint Light Helicopter and an unmanned aerial vehicle (up to 700kg).