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Italy's Fincantieri Marine Group's entrant into the FFG(X) is one of the most promising in the field of five contenders as it is based on the successful and modern Fregata Europea Multi-Missione (FREMM)—or European Multi-Mission Frigate in English—that will serve a number of multi-national users, already including NATO allies France and Italy. While we know what the existing ships look like in their various configurations, which includes anti-submarine, general purpose, and air defense variants with various other customizations based on the user's demands, we haven't really seen what a U.S. version would look like in tangible form, that is until...

The Italian Navy has sent a Fremm frigate, ITS Alpino, on a two-month cruise of North America intended to promote the ship’s design as a leading candidate in the US Navy’s FF(X) future frigate competition. (IT Navy photo) Today, the Italian Navy’s European multi-mission frigate (FREMM) ITS Alpino sailed from the Mar Grande naval base in Taranto for a naval campaign that will take it to North America for the next two months. ITS Alpino is the fifth FREMM ship delivered to the Italian Navy on 30 September 2016, the fourth in the "anti-submarine" version and fitted out with state-of-the-art...

French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian detailed the naval part of the update to the French Military Planning Law today on a naval base in Brittany. The French Navy will receive 8 FREMM Frigates in total (while 11 of them were originally planned) and a new generation of frigates: the FTI (Frégate de Taille Intermédiaire or Midsize Frigate) which will start being delivered in 2023 for a total of 5 hulls. French Navy FREMM Frigate Provence arrives to Toulon naval base for the first time. Picture: Y.Bisson©Marine Nationale French Defense Minister explained during his speech today that the delivery of...

The frigate Aquitaine, the first unit in the multi-mission frigate program (FREMM), has successfully fired its first naval cruise missile on May 19 on the firing ranges of the DGA missile testing centre off Levant Island. This is the first time that a European surface ship has fired a cruise missile. On May 12, the frigate also successfully fired its first Exocet MM40 surface-to-surface missile. The French Navy launches an MBDA Naval Cruise Missile from FREMM Frigate Aquitaine for the first time. Picture: L.Bernardin©Marine Nationale The two synthesis firings prepared by the crew of the French Navy, the DGA teams...

According to French financial newspaper La Tribune Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, could sign a letter of intent (LOI) with the French Government for 6 FREMMs during his visit in Paris in early September. French Navy's FREMM multi-mission frigates are designed and built by DCNS. Five hulls have already been launched, with three Frigates delivered to the French Navy and one to the Royal Moroccan Navy. Contacted by Navy Recognition, no DCNS representatives were available to comment the information at the time of publishing. The information would confirm however that Saudi Arabia is currently seeking...

French Offer FREMM Class Frigate For Canadian Surface Combatant By David Pugliese Defence Watch Defence Minister Peter MacKay will tour the visiting French Navy frigate Aquitaine at Canadian Forces Base Halifax on Saturday. The French are European shipbuilder DCNS is offering the FREMM Class frigate to Canada as a choice for the Canadian Surface Combatant (CSC) program. The ship is at the port until April 23. French Navy representatives will visit with Canadian Naval officials and provide the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian industry with the opportunity to tour the FREMM. The CSC program is part of Canada’s NSPS. Irving...

DCNS to unveil new FREMM Frigate variant, updated BRAVE supply ship design at Euronaval 2012 At the 23rd EURONAVAL show to be held from 22 to 26 October 2012 at the Paris-le Bourget exhibition center, DCNS will unveil several new designs of submarines and surface vessels. Among them are the new FREMM-ER (for Extend Range) Frigate dedicated to Air Defense missions and an updated design for the BRAVE replenishment ship which was first unveiled two years ago at Euronaval 2010. The new FREMM ER (Extended Range) Frigate dedicated to Air Defense missions (Picture: DCNS) The FREMM-ER was designed with a...

DCNS begins sea trials of first-of-class FREMM frigate Aquitaine 19:08 GMT, April 18, 2011 One month early, DCNS begins the sea trials of the Aquitaine, the first ship built under the FREMM multimission frigate programme. The campaign takes place off the Brittany peninsula and is expected to last several weeks including return trips to DCNS’s shipyard. Delivery to the French Navy is scheduled for 2012. The joint crew comprising French Navy personnel, customer representatives and employees of DCNS and its partners will demonstrate the ship’s seakeeping and other nautical qualities as well as the performance of the propulsion and navigation...

DCNS ramps up FREMM Aquitaine harbour acceptance tests ahead of its first sea going The first-of-class FREMM multi-mission frigate Aquitaine. (Photo: DCNS) 19:27 GMT, March 3, 2011 Lorient | In accordance with the Programme schedule, DCNS is completing equipment integration and harbour acceptance tests on board the first-of-class FREMM multi-mission frigate Aquitaine. All major ship systems must be tested before the major milestone of the first sea going, scheduled next spring. So far 95% of the electrical and hydraulic equipments of the ship have been installed, so teams are ramping up for the harbour acceptance tests of the principal systems:...