Marine Nationale (French Navy)

kev 99

Member
Just had a look, does look more than a little like it's spinning out of control.

+1 for surprised it's not an AESA :confused:
 

RobWilliams

Super Moderator
Staff member
France isn't shipping MdCN with that FREMM, it's going to be kitted out solely with Aster 15.

Tucked away in a pre-confirmation news article is a statement that the 5 La Fayette frigates are no longer considered to be first rank frigates and rather than producing a couple more FREMM instead a new frigate in the 4000 - 6000t range is going to be designed. It'll have Aster 15 and MdCN capability.

French Navy Plans Around Ship Sale to Egypt
 

kev 99

Member
it seems like they have given up on the idea that the La Fayettes can do a front rank role, but I'm a little lost with the numbers here because that gives 8 FREMM, 2 Horizon, 3 new intermediate and 2 other?

With the current UK MOD position that only 8 T26 will be ordered initially I do rather worry that we're going to be doing something similar.
 

RobWilliams

Super Moderator
Staff member
Unless they've decided to go 8 ASW plus 2 FREDA after all.

In other news, the French submarine Saphire has reportedly almost got a kill of US CVN Theodore Roosevelt in an exercise late-Jan/early-Feb which also included P-8 patrol aircraft. The article describes how the sub was a few hundred yards away but it does not confirm either a kill or the sub was killed.

French Navy Rubis class SSN Escorted and Hunted USS Theodore Roosevelt during COMPTUEX
 

RobWilliams

Super Moderator
Staff member
They already do I think, I think i'm right in saying that Italy have 10 FREMM split 4/4/2 split between GP/ASW/AAW. Italian ships are FFBNW their 16 A70 silos except the AAW versions (yet to be laid down), supposedly.

But yeah Kev you're right, I was just thinking out loud. So they've got 6 ASW + 2 Horizon + 2 FREDA + 3 'intermediate' = 2 short of the 15 front line frigate target.

DCNS could do well with their intermediate design though, i'd imagine that'd be a neat selling point. France has shown with their Polish sub tender they'll offer MdCN as part of a naval strike package, however off the top of my head I don't remember if that was an export variant similar to what Black Shaheen is to SCALP. It could be.
 

kev 99

Member
They already do I think, I think i'm right in saying that Italy have 10 FREMM split 4/4/2 split between GP/ASW/AAW. Italian ships are FFBNW their 16 A70 silos except the AAW versions (yet to be laid down), supposedly.

But yeah Kev you're right, I was just thinking out loud. So they've got 6 ASW + 2 Horizon + 2 FREDA + 3 'intermediate' = 2 short of the 15 front line frigate target.

DCNS could do well with their intermediate design though, i'd imagine that'd be a neat selling point. France has shown with their Polish sub tender they'll offer MdCN as part of a naval strike package, however off the top of my head I don't remember if that was an export variant similar to what Black Shaheen is to SCALP. It could be.
I would like to know where the other 2 are going to come from, I would have thought that a couple more FREMM or the new 'intermediate' class would be announced instead of a public statement with a 2 warship hole in it.
 

youpii

New Member
But yeah Kev you're right, I was just thinking out loud. So they've got 6 ASW + 2 Horizon + 2 FREDA + 3 'intermediate' = 2 short of the 15 front line frigate target.
.
For ASW role around the Brest naval base, wouldn't GoWind 2500 with towed sonar be enough instead of FREMM ?
 

swerve

Super Moderator
They already do I think, I think i'm right in saying that Italy have 10 FREMM ....
Italy's building 10 FREMM (8 laid down so far, 2 more scheduled in the next 2 years), despite suggestions in the past that numbers would be cut to 8, but France has gone from 17 to 11 officially planned - & now looks as if it might only be 8.
 

RobWilliams

Super Moderator
Staff member
That's a shame really, but not entirely unexpected.

Seems like there's going to be a bit of a fight to buy the LPD Siroco with Portugal and Brazil both showing interest.

Portugal's defence ministry recently told Janes they're considering it while Brazilian engineers conducted a review last month and put forward that the ship was in good condition and recommended it be bought.

Chile had previously said they were interested but dropped the request.

Portugal may buy France's Siroco LPD - IHS Jane's 360
Brazilian study recommends procuring Siroco LPD - IHS Jane's 360
 

swerve

Super Moderator
French cut FREMM numbers in favour of FTI.

This is old news, but it's newer than the latest post here. Back in May, Jean-Yves Le Drian, French MoD, announced that the total numbers of FREMM to be bought would only be eight (confirming suspicions), including two with enhanced AAW abilities (FREDA), & the new FTI frigate programme would be accelerated.

FREMM is going to replace the F70s (both ASW & AA variants) one for one, & FTI the smaller & less capable Lafayettes.
 

youpii

New Member
French cut FREMM numbers in favour of FTI.

This is old news, but it's newer than the latest post here. Back in May, Jean-Yves Le Drian, French MoD, announced that the total numbers of FREMM to be bought would only be eight (confirming suspicions), including two with enhanced AAW abilities (FREDA), & the new FTI frigate programme would be accelerated.

FREMM is going to replace the F70s (both ASW & AA variants) one for one, & FTI the smaller & less capable Lafayettes.
FTI will be larger than Lafayettes
Frégate de taille intermédiaire : Encore quelques mois pour choisir le design | Mer et Marine
Looks like they will try to have all the weapons of a FREMM on the smaller FTI including towed sonar.
 

DaveS124

Active Member
Any DT members in Perth please note that FS Tonnerre (LHD) and FS Guepratte (FF) are on their way, as part of INDOPAC Op JEAN D'ARC 2016.

Unclear at time of writing if they'll berth in FTL or FBW.

No doubt their run ashore is part of some so-called "WA mafia" and French "tossers" conspiracy.

The latter is amusing, considering the the Kawasaki engines in the Soryu boats are just licence-built MAN diesels that were actually designed in that company's French engineering works.
 

t68

Well-Known Member
Any DT members in Perth please note that FS Tonnerre (LHD) and FS Guepratte (FF) are on their way, as part of INDOPAC Op JEAN D'ARC 2016.

Unclear at time of writing if they'll berth in FTL or FBW.

No doubt their run ashore is part of some so-called "WA mafia" and French "tossers" conspiracy.

The latter is amusing, considering the the Kawasaki engines in the Soryu boats are just licence-built MAN diesels that were actually designed in that company's French engineering works.
That would've been an Intersting sight to see, as to the anti-French bias is more to do with past experience and getting our fingers burnt in the process on more than one occasion.

No one is saying French equipment is not good but more along the lines of our intergration issues and supply. GF has also said on more than one occasion that what we receive via Europe compared to what we receive from the US is chalk and cheese.

Whilst I have no direct knowledge I suspect what the Japanese receive from the US would also pale compared to even the UK in a systems level and intergration and program management.
 

gf0012-aust

Grumpy Old Man
Staff member
Verified Defense Pro
OT for a moment.

Just to add some clarity - the term "WA mafia" is not some form of DT epithet.

I worked in Federal Ministerial Support for a number of years and across a number of governments - both sides of Govt majority members used the expression to describe their west coast colleagues - so it had some universal usage. :)

In fact the term has been around for over 40 years.....

The issue about french gear in japanese subs has got nothing to do with whether they have german engines that have a degree of french DNA in their heritage. Its about the practical issues surrounding problems that have arisen with french contracts on numerous projects and the fact that it we already have issues with the US imposing IP firewalls around some of their gear when there are french partners.

Thats an undeniable reality and a realpolitik impediment, despite any enthusiasm that may get trotted out in the public domain about all things being fine and huggy.
 

StingrayOZ

Super Moderator
Staff member
OT for a moment.

Just to add some clarity - the term "WA mafia" is not some form of DT epithet.
I see the Germans are also focusing more on WA. I imagine being an election year, the idea of spreading the work around has some appeal. Certainly parts of Collins were made all round Australia and the globe.

I'm sure some parts will come from WA. I'm sure some parts may be French. Schneider Electric (French) has a fair bit in the Collins class I believe.

I think part of the problem is these bids end up being referred a bit by which nation the prime is coming from, (ie Japan, Germany, France) even though they aren't purely single nation bids (obviously Australia would need to be a part of any of them at the very least).
 
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