FLF were always considered (by the politics) as 1st rank... even before this mid life update.WhitestElephant wrote:Does adding a sonar to the FLF make them a 1st rank frigate? I don't see it.
Crazy I know
FLF were always considered (by the politics) as 1st rank... even before this mid life update.WhitestElephant wrote:Does adding a sonar to the FLF make them a 1st rank frigate? I don't see it.
It was always mentioned (including during press meetings I personally attended) that FREDA would be fitted with a "boosted variant" of Herakles... That being said, Thales reportedly said Sea Fire plannar array radar is an evolution of Herakles. FTI will be fitted with Sea Fire (or its evolution because I am not sure it is a "product" just yet). So FREDA *could* be fitted with Sea Fire as well.RetroSicotte wrote:Intrigued to see what will come of FREDA and the new light frigate design. At a conservative guess, I'd say the EMPAR AESA (the only the Italian FREMM have) for the FREDA in place of the PESA Herakles, and swapping the 16 SCALP for 16 Aster-30.
How is it that the French defence budget appears much lower than the UK yet they seem to be able to procure and run a miltary at least as large as the UK?The Armchair Soldier wrote:A news and discussion thread for one of our closest allies, the French.
France Increases Defence Spending 'to Counter Extremism'French President Francois Hollande says defence spending will rise by nearly €4bn to tackle extremist threats "at home and overseas".
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He said the 2015 defence budget will remain at €31.4bn ($35bn; £22bn), and would increase by an extra €3.8bn between 2016 and 2019.
The move will save 18,500 of the 34,000 job cuts that were planned for the military over the next five years, unnamed presidential officials said.
http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=2773The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced it has conducted joint amphibious maneuvers with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) and the US Navy last month in the East China Sea. Named Kitsune 2015, the exercise (which was a first for the three navies) involved the Mistral class LHD Dixmude and Lafayette class Frigate Aconit of the French Navy, the Osumi (head of the class) tank landing ship of the JMSDF and Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Preble of the US Navy.
http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=2823On June 12th in Brest, DCNS delivered the FREMM multi-mission frigate Provence to the French Navy, as stipulated in the contract. This frigate is the second of the series ordered by OCCAR on behalf of the DGA (French armament procurement agency). Delivery of the FREMM multi-mission frigate Provence is the result of a design and construction process managed by DCNS in close cooperation with the French Navy, DGA and OCCAR teams.
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Four FREMMat different stages of construction at DCNS Lorient Shipyard
For DCNS, the FREMM programme currently involves the construction of ten frigates, eight of them for the French Navy. Six of these are to be delivered by 2019 and the remaining two frigates, equipped with extended anti-aircraft capabilities, will be delivered before 2022. Two other were sold for export clients: the Royal Moroccan Navy and the Egyptian Navy.
The delivery of the FREMM Provence takes place at a time when the FREMM programme is powering ahead on the DCNS site in Lorient. To date, three FREMM frigates are under construction and one is being prepared before being delivered:
• The FREMM Aquitaine, first in series, delivered in 2012.
• The FREMM Mohammed VI, for the Royal Moroccan Navy, delivered in 2014.
• The FREMM Provence, delivered today, 12 June 2015.
• The FREMM intended for the Egyptian Navy, formerly the FREMM Normandie, will be delivered in summer 2015.
• The FREMM Languedoc will make its first sea outing in autumn 2015.
• The FREMM Auvergne is currently in the final stages of construction and will be launched in September 2015.
• The FREMM Bretagne is currently being assembled.
http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=2848The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that on 18 June 2015, two Atlantique 2 (ATL2) maritime patrol crews were qualified to GBU-12 Paveway II laser guided bomb shooting procedures with self-designation. This flight marked the end of a training course which confronted crews to modern technologies used in air-to-ground support missions thanks to the Wescam MX-20D electro-optical turret fitted on ATL2 Standard V.
Yes, you are spot on.ArmChairCivvy wrote:Any guesses on whether those GBUs are primarily meant for targets of opportunity while using the MPAs over the Sahel region?
http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.ph ... ew&id=2879According to the recent update to the French Military Planning Law, the French Navy is set to receive two FREDA (frégate de défense aérienne or air defense frigate) by 2022. Not much information was available so far on the FREDA besides the fact they would be based on the DCNS FREMM (Aquitaine class), get a modified Thales Herakles radar and would likely deploy MBDA's ASTER 30 long range surface-to-air missiles. Navy Recognition contacted both DCNS and Thales to learn more.
http://news.sky.com/story/1514823/explo ... itary-baseSome 40 grenades, 180 detonators and an unknown quantity of plastic explosives have been stolen from a French military base.
The theft from the Miramas base west of Marseille happened on Sunday night.
It was discovered on Monday and the Marseille prosecutor's office has launched an investigation.
The thieves reportedly cut through a fence to access the base. As a result, the French Defence Ministry has ordered a review of security at military bases.
The 500-acre Miramas site stored munitions used by the French military in Afghanistan and Mali.
That's...quite underwhelming, if I'm honest. Remaining with a PESA radar, and not even expected to exceed Horizon?xav wrote:Details on the FREDA: The Future Air-Defense FREMM Frigates of the French Navy
Edit: I was expecting a bit more for the FREDAAccording to the recent update to the French Military Planning Law, the French Navy is set to receive two FREDA (frégate de défense aérienne or air defense frigate) by 2022. Not much information was available so far on the FREDA besides the fact they would be based on the DCNS FREMM (Aquitaine class), get a modified Thales Herakles radar and would likely deploy MBDA's ASTER 30 long range surface-to-air missiles. Navy Recognition contacted both DCNS and Thales to learn more.
Can you even call that "development" ?RetroSicotte wrote: Makes you wonder, why not just buy two Italian FREMMs? They've got a better radar and hgave Aster-30 capability. Saves all the development costs.
Touché, sir.xav wrote:Can you even call that "development" ?
Not just "right now", more like for the past few decades.RetroSicotte wrote:Of course, one does have to wonder if they just see naval AAW as a low priotity for the budget right now.xav wrote:Can you even call that "development" ?