Naval Group floats first French FDI frigate
The Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention (FDI) ships, including Amiral Ronarc'h pictured, feature an inverted bow for better seakeeping. (Photo: Naval Group)
French shipbuilder Naval Group is building eight, plus a possible extra one, FDI frigates for the French and Greek navies.
On 7 November, Naval Group floated out the first Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention (FDI) ship, Amiral Ronarc'h, at its Lorient shipyard.
Amiral Ronarc'h will be delivered to the French Navy in 2024 after sea trials are held next year.
The remaining seven ships of the programme will be produced in series until 2030.
The ship has been floated in the dry dock where it was assembled and will be moved to a pier at the shipyard for outfitting later this week.
The float-out comes less than a year after the keel of Amiral Ronarc'h was laid last December.
From ship four of the programme, the second frigate for France, blocks for the vessels will be built in Greece by Salamis Shipyards.
These blocks will then be transported to Lorient for outfitting and integration.
Related Programmes in Defence Insight
Fregates de Defense et d'Intervention (FDI) (1-5) [France]
Related Equipment in Defence Insight
More from Naval Warfare
-
![Royal Thai Navy enhances weaponry on its Tor 997 patrol boats]()
Royal Thai Navy enhances weaponry on its Tor 997 patrol boats
A new deal with EM&E Group has added Sentinel 30 remote stations to the boats’ armament profile.
-
![USSOUTHCOM in ‘desperate need’ for fleet assets says commander]()
USSOUTHCOM in ‘desperate need’ for fleet assets says commander
Adm Holsey also warned that were “zero Navy P-8 aircraft available due to being pulled to other theatres”.
-
![Aselsan test-fires Turkey’s first indigenous naval defence missile]()
Aselsan test-fires Turkey’s first indigenous naval defence missile
The test of the Goksur missile is regarded as a pivotal moment of Turkey’s journey towards developing an indigenous naval defence capability.
