DCNS: Moroccan Navy’s FREMM Frigate Ready for Delivery

The FREMM multi-mission frigate on order for the Royal Moroccan Navy is pursuing sea trials off the French coast in preparation for delivery later this year. In June, French naval shipbuilder DCNS successfully completed a third series of trials to test the performance of the ship’s combat system.

The crew and DCNS specialists completed the latest trials off the Brittany coast. This series of tests was designed to check the performance of the combat system’s main sensors.

“This third series of sea trials represents a major milestone for the overall programme and more particularly for the ship’s combat system. Our crews thoroughly tested the full suite of combat system hardware and software that makes FREMM frigates among the most versatile and advanced on the world market”, says Gilles Raybaud, DCNS’s FREMM programme manager for Morocco.

To acquaint them with shipboard operations, members of the crew that will take over once the vessel enters service with the Royal Moroccan Navy participated in the trials. Working in tandem with the French Navy crew, they took part in activities ranging from bridge and propulsion watch-keeping to safety exercises and platform management.

The first series of sea trials, conducted in April, demonstrated the full compliance of the ship’s propulsion and navigation systems with the relevant performance requirements.

FREMM, a major programme for DCNS and partners

The French FREMM programme calls for 12 ships – 11 for the French Navy and one for the Royal Moroccan Navy.

DCNS delivered the Aquitaine, the first FREMM multi-mission frigate, to the French Navy in November 2012.

In accordance the contractual provisions, the second-of-type is scheduled for delivery to the Royal Moroccan Navy by the end of this year. The ship will be named the Mohammed VI

DCNS is currently working on four FREMM frigates at different stages of completion:

• third-of-type FREMM frigate Normandie will begin sea trials later this year and is scheduled for delivery to the French Navy in 2014
• fourth-of-type FREMM frigate Provence is approaching completion and scheduled to be floated out of her building dock later this year
• the fifth and sixth of type are at earlier stages of construction.

FREMM technical data

These heavily armed warships are being built under DCNS prime contractorship to deploy state-of-the- art weapon systems and sensors including the Herakles multifunction radar, MdCN cruise missiles, Aster anti-air missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles and MU90 torpedoes.

Length overall: 142 m

Beam: 20m

Displacement (approx.): 6,000 tonnes

Max. speed: 27 knots

Complement: 108 (including helicopter crew)

Accommodation: 145 men and women

Range: 6,000 nm (at 15 knots)

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Press Release, July 11, 2013