Naval Group Delivers First FDI-Class Frigate Amiral Ronarc’h to the French Navy
France’s leading shipbuilding company, Naval Group, delivered the lead ship of the FDI (Frégate de Défense et d’Intervention) class, Amiral Ronarc’h, to the French Navy (Marine Nationale) on 17 October. The delivery, marking a significant milestone in enhancing the operational capabilities of the French Navy, was celebrated with a ceremony attended by company executives as well as political and military officials at Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard.
Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group,commented on the delivery:
“The delivery of the Amiral Ronarc’h, the very first frigate in the FDI series, is a major milestone for Naval Group. This new generation of top-of-the-range multi-purpose frigates will soon enter operational service and will help to strengthen the capabilities of our French Navy thanks to its exceptional capabilities, already demonstrated during sea trials. We are fully committed to this major programme, which we are proud to be carrying out for the French Navy.”
The Amiral Ronarc’h is the first unit of a program launched in May 2015 to replace the La Fayette-class frigates and complement the Aquitaine-class (FREMM) multi-mission frigates. The program comprises five Defense and Intervention Frigates. The keel of Amiral Ronarc’h was laid on 17 December 2021, and the ship was launched on 7 November 2022. The frigate is expected to achieve full operational capability by the summer of 2026. The remaining four ships in the series — Admiral Louzeau, Admiral Castex, Admiral Nomy, and Admiral Cabanier — are scheduled to enter service with the French Navy by 2030. It is also worth noting that Naval Group is currently building three FDI-class frigates for Hellenic Navy.
These FDI frigates, also known as the Belharra class, are medium-sized warships designed for a variety of missions such as anti-submarine warfare, air defense, surface warfare, maritime patrol, and exclusive economic zone (EEZ) protection. These frigates, which are of the Tumblehome design type, are 112 meters long and 17.7 meters wide. These 4,500-ton ships can reach a top speed of 27 knots and can accommodate a crew of 125 personnel. They can also operate helicopters and rotary wing drones weighing up to 11 tons, thanks to the hangar and flight deck at the stern.
The weapons of the FDI include 16 Aster missiles, 8 Exocet MM40 B3C missiles and MU 90 torpedoes, a 76mm gun, 4 torpedo tubes, and CANTO countermeasures. These frigates also have cutting-edge sensors, such as Thales Sea Fire, a completely digital multifunction radar with active antenna and fixed panels.