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FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
According last White Paper 15 DDG/FFG before 17 obviously need to remains to this number with 15 too just for all missions.

Before up to 2013 : 17
2 Forbin
2 Cassard
1 Tourville
7 Georges Leygues
5 La Fayette no ASW armament and hangar unable to host NH-90 in general a Panther hosted

2023 about : 15
2 Forbin
2 Aquitaine AAW variant/FREDA, 16 Aster 30 replace LACM and AEGIS like
6 Aquitaine/FREMM
5 La Fayette modernized presumably at less hull Sonar, TL ? hangar for NH-90 ?
So necessary for 2025/30 ordered 5 new Frigates initialy planned 11 FREMM, or 5 new ?

A FREMM want 600 mill €, few LACM only 150 in fact exept missiles on the FFG only one lot for reload, expensive weapons.


Intermediate sized frigates: The puzzle

Expected this month on the occasion of a Ministerial Investment Committee, the program launch of new frigates midsize should not ultimately intervene immediately. According to several sources, following the proposal submitted at the beginning of the summer by DCNS, the Defense Ministry asked the naval group to review its copy. Discussions buteraient especially on the cost of future FTI, it would significantly reduce to enter a relatively constrained budget.

A real headache for DCNS and other companies involved in the project, which are required to meet what some call "mission impossible". Clearly, design and implement five very economic future frigates and, at the same time, potentially over-equipped

Operational needs and industrial challenges

For the FTI, which are to replace the frigates type Lafayette from 2023, must meet a number of constraints. The Navy considers as a priority the anti-submarine warfare capabilities, meaning that future buildings must carry a hull sonar, a towed sonar and torpedoes. Meanwhile, Thales, to ensure the survival of the radar chain in France, in this program to place its new multifunction radar with planar faces SF 500. A tool that interests DCNS export face competition offering this type of sensor, called to succeed to the rotating radars. But with such antennas, capable of doing air surveillance and surface of the fire control and even defense against ballistic missiles, we must obviously adapted missiles. And here we logically orient towards the Aster 30 (completed or not to close the defense by Mica VL), to counter the proliferation of anti-ship supersonic missiles. And even the Aster Block 1, like the Italian Navy and arguably the Royal Navy, to ensure the future of BMD missions, for example to protect settlements or troop deployments in abroad against ballistic attacks. Moreover, the French Navy may be interested to have on these platforms, who attend regularly sensitive areas of naval cruise missiles. Especially since the reflections are continuing in the development of a multipurpose launcher can accommodate the Aster 30 or MdCN.

Like any frigate FTI necessarily will have artillery, anti-ship missiles and air power, not only with a helicopter, but also the ability to implement tactical UAV system for the Navy (SDAM), whose fleet French hopes to have in 2023, precisely when the seeded FTI program should be delivered.

As many capabilities as the FREMM but 30% lighter

In the end, the "ideal" building has equal capacities or even superior in some areas, the multi-mission frigates (FREMM), whose program was reduced from November to August units only in order to achieve a series of 5 FTI and and stick to the format of the last white on Defence (2013), setting the number of first class frigates to 15 (including the two air defense frigates of the Horizon type).

The problem is that the FTI should be substantially less than the big FREMM or 4000 tonnes instead of 6000. And at the same time, be less automated to have larger crews and less likely to be technical buildings more responsive to emerging or secondary navies.

Export Issues

Export is, moreover, the major argument for the development of FTI, announced in June 2013, to general surprise, by Jean-Yves Le Drian. The defense minister, who is keen to this program and expects to launch it before the 2017 presidential election, also intends to bring the workload to DCNS consultants Lorient. And thus offer the naval group a new product on the international market, between the corvette and the heavy frigate.

Remains to be seen if the budgetary resources are in line with industry issues and needs of the French Navy, engaged on all fronts and has absolutely need 15 multipurpose frigates.

Many programs to fund the next LPM

At the headquarters, it has so far, at least officially, very enthusiastic about the FTI, supporting this project dear to the Hotel de Brienne. But over discussions and financial difficulties which are likely to arise, some marine begin to doubt and fear a "poisoned gift", which would result in the end in a further reduction of the frigates lack of money format to produce a number FTI enough. Especially since most of the expense is deferred to the next military planning law (2020-2025), for which it will fund other urgent naval programs: the last two FREMM (with antiaircraft capacities strengthened), the program launch monitoring of buildings and offshore response (15 units hoped to succeed the patrol boats and sloops), the construction of three new logistics buildings, continued SNA program Barracuda, the rise of the development of the next generation SSBNs or, as some wish, the early studies for a second aircraft carrier.

The 2017 schedule

A significant budget bump is going to stand out, and after the elections of 2017, especially in cases of political power, it is not impossible that the FIT program is overhauled. In opposition, some believe already that it would be financially preferable to lengthen the FREMM series of at least 13 units, even developing a new version with the SF 500 (model moreover proposed for export), which also allow the navy, standardizing its fleet to save on maintenance, training and payroll as the crew is fewer.

Finally we recall that the choices made regarding FTI depend on the extent of the renovation project of the five Lafayette, commissioned between 1996 and 2001 and which need to be modernized in the coming years.

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FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
After normaly in service end of year.


The FREMM Languedoc departure in Long Deployment

August 12, 2016 morning, the multi-mission frigate Languedoc sailed from its base port of Toulon to begin its deployment of Long Term (DLD). On board: not less than 140 sailors including a detachment of the flotilla 31F helicopters with Cayman Marine helicopter. The building unit for several months in the North Atlantic and the Arctic.
.
The crew, reinforced some sailors Transformation Group and Brace (GTR) Toulon, will experience over time and environmental conditions in its new building. The goal: to verify and validate its capabilities and operating at sea before admission to active duty. Its radar, its sonar, sensors, propulsion or its combat system are all technologies that will be tested. This deployment will also continue the trainings duo FREMM-CAYMAN, particularly in anti-submarine warfare domain.

During this deployment, he had the opportunity to work and train with allied navies. The FREMM Languedoc also participate in supporting the export of French industry. This deployment is the culmination of a drive launched in September 2015 on the occasion of the first output of the frigate then completed by the first operational preparation course in May 2016. With the same fighting spirit, crew Languedoc continues to rise to the admission to active duty the planned construction by year end.

The deployment of long-term is a decisive step in the verification of military capabilities of the building, before admission to active duty. This is a period at sea carried away, long and crew to test the building and its systems and allow its total ownership sailors.

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fremm-languedoc.jpg fremm-languedoc.jpg
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
French SCALP Strike, 12 LACM on 4 Rafale and Mirage 2000D with 1 Atlantique 2 for ISR

The French aircraft fired a dozen SCALP missiles during a raid against EI in Syria

The planes of the Air Force engaged in the operation Chammal carry out relatively few raids against the Islamic State (EI or Daesh) in Syria, their action focusing more in northern Iraq. But when they'll hit the jihadists in their stronghold of Syrian Raqqah, they put the package.

Indeed, on 21 August, 4 Rafale (from UAE) and four Mirage 2000 and 1 maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique 2 (*) (based in Jordan) took part in an air raid against a storage center maintenance of heavy weaponry to the EI Raqqah. In total, it took ten SCALP cruise missiles to destroy the target, located in the heart of dipositif of the jihadist organization.

The use of SCALP cruise missile can be explained by the nature of the infrastructure destroyed. Indeed, this type of ammunition can target with extreme accuracy, strongly defended standoff websites, ie without incurring any anti-aircraft threat.

Furthermore, as it was intended to modernize a hundred such missiles out of 500 that were delivered, so use those remaining in stock.

Since 15 December 2015, at least fifty SCALP (autonomous conventional cruise System Long Range) was taken by the French aviation (including a dozen Rafale M from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle).

Furthermore, the General Staff of the armed explained that the raid against IE in Raqqah was conducted "after an intense week of strikes by French aircraft (...) in support of land operations by Iraqi and Kurdish forces near Mosul in Iraq. "

(*) The Atlantic 2 committed by the Navy
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In Jordania H5 base :
8 : 5 Mirage 2000D + 3 Mir 2000NK3 do 90 % of the missions in general sorties 6 days on 7 in average 4 Mirage 2000.
Also 1 Atlantique 2

UAE/Al Dhafra
8 Rafale

Qatar/Al Udeid
Sometimes 1 KC-135
Sometimes 1 E-3C

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Last edited:

navyreco

Senior Member
After normaly in service end of year.
View attachment 30249 View attachment 30249
Here is an English language variant :)


French Navy Aquitaine-class FREMM Frigate Languedoc Started her Long Cruise in the Arctic
On 12 August 2016, the FREMM frigate Languedoc, the latest addition to the French Navy (Marine Nationale) fleet departed Toulon naval base for her long cruise. The long cruise is the last long deployment period of the vessel before it achieves "active duty" status. For her long cruise, Languedoc is sailing to the North Atlantic and eventually in the Arctic region. Languedoc is the third frigate of the Aquitaine-class for the French Navy.
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Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
Here is an English language variant :)


French Navy Aquitaine-class FREMM Frigate Languedoc Started her Long Cruise in the Arctic

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Yes...and here all three are:

D650 Aquitaine
FRA-Fremm-650.jpg

D652 Provence
FRA-Fremm-652.jpg

D653 Languedoc
FRA-Fremm-653.jpg

...and let's not foget the fourth, which is outfitting as we speak preparing for trials:

D654 Auvergne
FRA-Fremm-654.jpg
 
Last edited:

Jeff Head

General
Registered Member
As regards the French FREMM frigates, the French would have had six in the water, but they built one for Morocco, and then they sold one that they had built for themselves to Egypt. So the yards in France have actually put six in the water, and a seventh is getting close. They have done this (launched six) in six years, the first being launched in April 2010.

The French have three commissioned and in service.

By comparison, the Italian yards launched six frigates between July 2011 and December 2011, in about 4 1/2 years. Their seventh will launch in February 2017.

In September of this year, the Italians will have six in commission.
 

FORBIN

Lieutenant General
Registered Member
Chammal : Six Rafale join the deployed air base in Jordan

The end of summer was marked by the establishment of the combat aircraft fleet rationalization process of the Air Force engaged in external operations, whether in the Sahel-Saharan (barkhane ), or the Middle East (Chammal).

After departure, Friday, 29 July 2016, Rafale air base in N'Djamena, Chad, replaced by two Mirage 2000D and two Mirage 2000C, it is the turn of hunting blocks from the Middle East to reorganize.

According to the press release of the General Staff of the Armies (EMA), published this Sunday, August 28, 2016, six Rafale of the French Air Force joined the deployed air base in Jordan, also known as the airbase name of Prince Hassan.

The EMA states that "this detachment from the 30th and 4th fighter squadrons, was deployed in two waves, 22 and 27 august, thanks to C135FR flight refueling and transport aircraft A400M" of the Squadron Transport 1/61 "Touraine" that routed the equipment and weapons needed between Jordan and the air base 104 Al Dhafra (UAE).

The implementation of this Chasse detachment was marked during the first arrival of four Rafale, the presence of "Colonel Jean-Luc, commander of the deployed air base and Colonel Michel Friedling, representing General Serge Cholley, commander Chammal strength. "

The EMA provides that "the Rafale were prepared for battle, in less than 24 hours, thanks to the support of a deployed air base fully mobilized for this purpose" and that these devices "have immediately started their first air support missions , intelligence and deep battle "from Jordan.

Located in the middle of the Jordanian desert air base now comprises six Rafale, a maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique II for the Navy, and for some time yet only four Mirage 2000D of the 3rd Fighter Wing. The air system is completed, the UAE, for another six Rafale, and a refueling aircraft KC-135R / C-135FR.

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