Article Posted on : - Nov 26, 2012

FREMM frigate Aquitaine. A French Navy photo

PARIS (BNS): France has officially taken delivery of the new multi-mission FREMM frigate Aquitaine last week.

The Chief of Staff of the Navy officially received the new-generation frigate, built by DCNS, on Nov. 23, the Defence Ministry said.

Aquitaine is the first of 11 new FREMM frigates ordered by the French Navy. The Defence Ministry had signed a contract for eight FREMM frigates in 2005 followed by another contract for three more such frigates in 2009.

Aquitaine began sea trials in April 2011. During the trials, it successfully test launched a torpedo in June this year.

The warship will now begin operational readiness under the control of the division strength training of naval action, the Defence Ministry said.

The FREMM family of frigates with technically advanced features is being designed to counter all threats emanating from air, sea or land. With a displacement of 6000 tons and a length of 142 m, the vessel can cruise at a speed of 27 knots.

Each warship will carry state-of-the-art weapons and systems including the MdCN cruise missiles, Aster anti-air missiles, Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles and MU90 torpedoes. The sensor suite of the frigate is designed around the Herakles multifunction radar with a range of more than 250 kilometres.

The FREMM programme, led by France in partnership with Italy, is pegged as Europe's largest naval programme.

Italy plans to acquire 10 such frigates for its Navy.