FREMM Frigate

The FREMM European multi-mission frigate is a joint programme between France and Italy. It is planned that a total of 27 FREMM frigates will be built: 17 for the French Navy and ten for the Italian Navy. The frigates are 137m in overall length and 19m wide with displacement of 5,800t. The ship's complement is 108 officers and crew.

The prime contractors for the FREMM programme are Armaris of France and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali of Italy.

Armaris was a joint subsidiary of DCN and Thales and is now wholly owned by DCNS The Italian Orizzonte Sistemi Navali is a joint venture between Fincantieri and Finmeccanica.

Both Amaris and Orizzonte will play a major role in the system specification and development of the main subsystems and the combat system.

In April 2007, DCN became DCNS. This followed an agreement in which Thales became a 25% shareholder in the new company and DCN acquired the naval business of Thales France (excluding naval equipment). In November 2005, the Organisation Conjoint de Cooperation en matière d'Armement (OCCAR) awarded the French companies DCN and Thales and the Italian companies Fincantieri and Finmeccanica the first FREMM development and build contracts.

The first contract covers the design build and support of the first six anti-submarine warfare frigates and two land attack frigates for the French Navy. Deliveries are scheduled over a five-year period from 2011 to 2016. The first delivery is scheduled for mid-2011, the second delivery 13 months later, followed by a delivery rate of one ship every seven months. The first of class vessel will be called the Aquitaine, the second Normandie. Construction of Aquitaine began in March 2007.

In May 2006, OCCAR awarded the contract for the first two Italian FREMM frigates. Italy ordered a second batch of four in February 2008, three of which are to be for anti-submarine warfare (ASW). The first Italian frigate is due to be commissioned in 2012. First of class will be called Carlo Bergamini, the second Carlo Margottini.

In October 2007, DCNS announced that an agreement has been signed with the Royal Moroccan Navy for the supply of one FREMM frigate, the first export order for the vessel, while Greece in January 2009 announced the order of six vessels equipped with the SCALP Naval cruise missile.

FREMM design

The frigate's layout has been designed to provide sufficient size for operational effectiveness, maintainability and sustained upgrades. The layout incorporates increased headroom between decks, deeper and longer engine compartments, and larger equipment pathways for access and maintenance.

For quayside maintenance, the frigate is fitted with an aftside door for loading and unloading equipment, load handling equipment and a wide lower deck passage way.

The consoles on the integrated bridge are for all main platform functions including navigation, steering and communications.

The bridge also allows operators to manage and control all the platform systems, to monitor safety and security, and to co-ordinate other operations.

French FREMM frigates

The French frigates will be built in two mission versions, the land attack (Action Vers la Terre or AVT) version that will be fitted with torpedoes and vertically launched self-defence and cruise missiles and an anti-submarine warfare ASW version, fitted with torpedoes, vertical launch self defence missiles and an active towed array sonar.

Sensors

Thales is responsible for the development and supply of the French FREMM surveillance and communications suites.

Systems will include Thales Artemis infrared search and track (IRST) system and the Herakles 3D S-band multifunction surveillance and fire control radar for the frigates' anti-air weapons systems.

Artemis is based on medium-wave staring focal plane arrays and uses multiple static sensor heads rather than mechanical scanning. Herakles has a range of 250km against air targets and 80km against surface targets.

Command and control

The upgradeable high-performance combat system by DCN and Thales is based on a high-speed data network. The combat system architecture will enable future weapon systems to be integrated into the frigates.

The ship's Nato standard external communications include Link 11, Link 16, Link 22 and JSAT tactical data links, allowing full interoperability with Nato forces.

Internal communications include messaging, conventional and wireless telephony, public address, closed circuit television, and internet and intranet ports.

Missiles

For anti-ship capability, the French FREMMs are to be armed with MBDA's Exocet MM40 Block 3 anti-ship missiles, which will be controlled via a CMS multi-function console by a Mer-Mer weapon control system. Block 3 missiles have longer range and an enhanced navigation system to give a littoral attack capability.

The MBDA Aster 15 air defence missile system for the AVT and ASW French frigates will provide protection against supersonic and subsonic threats. Aster 15 has a minimum range of 1.7km and a maximum range of 30km against subsonic airborne threats.

The MBDA SCALP Naval vertically launched cruise missile, which is scheduled to enter service in 2011, will provide the French AVT FREMM's land attack capability.

MBDA was awarded a contract for the first batch of 50 Scalp missiles for FREMM frigates in January 2007.

The Sylver A-70 vertical launcher is being developed by DCN Ruelle. The missiles will use inertial guidance and electro-optical terrain contour matching (TERCOM) in the terminal target approach phase of flight. SCALP Naval has a range of more than 1,000km.

Guns

The French FREMM's main gun is the Oto Melara medium calibre 76/62 Super Rapide naval gun. The gun interfaces to an optronic fire control system. The gun is controlled control either via a CMS multi-function console or through a visual weapons director on the bridge.

Four 12.7mm machine guns are installed for close-in defence.

Torpedoes

The French vessels will be armed with the Eurotorp MU 90 Impact torpedo. MU 90 has a directed energy warhead and a range of 12,000m at maximum speed and 25,000m at minimum speed.

Countermeasures

Thales is developing the integrated electronic warfare suite. Sagem was awarded a contract for the New-Generation Dagaie System (NGDS) decoy system in January 2007.

Aircraft

The frigate has an aft helicopter hangar and a helicopter deck of approximately 520m². The frigate is fitted with an emergency communication and remote briefing system with the ship's helicopter.

The French AVT frigates will be fitted for a tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV). The AVT FREMM will also have the capability to control long-endurance, medium and high-altitude (MALE and HALE) unmanned air vehicles launched from ground sites or from other platforms.

Italian vessels will be fitted with the TC-ASIST helicopter handling system from Curtiss-Wright Controls of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Propulsion

Both the French and Italian frigates have gas turbines with two shafts driving fixed pitch propellers.

In March 2006, Avio of Italy was awarded the contract to supply the FREMM power plant for both countries, which will be the LM2500+G4 gas turbine, licensed-built from General Electric, which will provide 32MW power.

The maximum speed is 27kt. For quiet anti-submarine operations the shafts are driven by electric motors and the frigates speed in ASW silent mode is up to 15kt.

An azimuth thruster provides precision manoeuvring for quayside and harbour operations, station keeping and as a back-up emergency propulsion system.

MEKO-200HN MOD3 Frigate

The four Hydra class frigates of the Hellenic Navy of Greece are 3,200t frigates of the MEKO 200HN design. The first of the four, Hydra (F452) was built by Blohm and Voss in Hamburg and commissioned in 1992. The other three were constructed at the Hellenic Shipyards at Scaramanga. HS Spetsai (F453) was commissioned in 1996, HS Psara (F454) in 1998 and HS Salamis (F455) in 1999.

Three Hydra Class frigates were deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom in 2002-2003.

Design

The MEKO frigates have high-level specifications for shock resistance, stiffness requirements for the fire control and radar systems, and blast and gas pressure resistance to retain the integrity of the on-board weapon systems. The hull is constructed of high tensile steel with a yield strength of 355 N/mm².

The ship is divided into 12 self-sufficient watertight sections, which function almost independently of each other. Each compartment also has independent data transfer to the ship's naval automation system, Nautos.

Command and control

The ship's battle management system is the Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal) STACOS Model 2 command and control system. The ship is equipped with a multi-interface computer equipment / data information link (MICE/DAIL) system. A network management console installed in the ship's combat information centre monitors the activities of the DAIL bus.

Hydra weapons

The ship's surface-to-surface missile system consists of two AN/SWG-1A(V) four-cell launchers for the Boeing Harpoon missile. Harpoon is equipped with semi-active radar homing and has a range to 130km. The launchers are installed at a fixed elevation on the upper deck behind the main mast.

The ship's surface-to-air missile is the Nato Sea Sparrow supplied by Raytheon. The mk48 mod 2 vertical launchers for 16 missiles are installed aft of the two funnels. The missile uses semi-active homing to a range of 15km.

In May 2007, Thales was awarded a contract to upgrade the STIR fire control system to allow the firing of the evolved Sea Sparrow missile (ESSM). HS Salamis has been upgraded and, in August 2008, successfully completed a live firing test. The other four Hydra vessels are being upgraded in 2008/2009.

The ship's anti-submarine warfare system consists of two triple 324mm torpedo tubes, mk32 mod 5, installed on the port and starboard sides of the ship at the main deck level forward of the masts. The ship is armed with Honeywell mk46 anti-submarine torpedoes, with active and passive homing and a range of 11km.

Guns

The main gun, installed at the bow, is the FMC 127mm mk45 mod 2A gun. The ship has two General Dynamics / Raytheon Phalanx mk15 mod 12 close-in weapons systems, one on the raised gun deck forward of the bridge above and behind the main gun, and one on the roof of the hangar at the stern of the ship. Each Phalanx gun has six barrels firing 3,000 rounds a min and a range to 1,500m.

Countermeasures

The ship's torpedo decoy is the Nixie AN/SLQ25. Four SuperRBOC chaff launchers, mk36 mod 2, are installed on the raised gun deck.

The ship's electronic warfare suite includes the Argo AR700 electronic support measures and an Argo APECS radar jamming systems.

Aircraft

The ship accommodates a single 10t class helicopter such as the Sikorsky S-70B-6 Aegean Hawk. The Aegean Hawk is armed with two mk46 torpedoes for the anti-submarine role and the Kongsberg Penguin mk2 mod 7 anti-ship missile.

Sensors

The Thales Nederland DA08 FFT long-range air and surface F band radar is installed high on the main mast. The medium-range Thales Nederland MW08 F to G-band air search radar is on the mast tower in the centre of the ship forward of the funnels.

The distinctive conical antennae of the Thales Nederland STIR fire control radar, operating at I, J and K bands, are installed one facing the bow about half way up the main mast, just forward of the air search radar, and one facing the stern just below the air search radar on the mast tower. Racal supplied the ARPA26890 BT navigation radar operating at I band.

The ship is fitted with the Raytheon SQS-56 DE 1160 sonar system.

Propulsion

The Hydra Class ships are fitted with a twin-screw propulsion system. Each shaft line consists of an MTU diesel engine, model 20V956TB82 with a power output of 3,830kW, a General Electric gas turbine, model LM2500-30 with a power output of 22,300kW, a reduction gearbox with clutch coupling and an SSS clutch driving an Escher Wyss controllable pitch propeller. Control and monitoring of the propulsion is performed via the Siemens Nautos databus and video system.

SUPER VITA Fast Attack Missile Craft

Elefsis Industrial Enterprises SA has been awarded the contract for the supply of three Super Vita 62m fast attack missile craft for the Hellenic Navy. The ships, called the 'Roussen Class', are being constructed at the Elefsis yard near Athens. Vosper Thornycroft provides design, construction support, ship's equipment and logistic support services to Elefsis. The initial requirement is for three fast attack craft and part of the agreement includes provision of two ex-Royal Navy Hunt Class mine countermeasure vessels.

The fast attack craft has a displacement of 580t fully loaded. The first ship, HS Roussen (P67), was launched in November 2002 and was commissioned in December 2005.

The second, HS Daniolos (P68) was launched in July 2003 and commissioned in February 2006. The third, HS Kristallidis (P69), was launched in April 2004 and commissioned in May 2006.

In September 2003, a contract was awarded for a further two ships, HS Grigoropoulos and HS Ritsos, to be built by Elefsis. HS Ritsos was launched in October 2006. Both vessels were commissioned in 2007. A contract from the Hellenic Navy for an additional two vessels, to bring the total to seven, was placed in September 2008.

A newly covered construction facility in the Elefsis yard was built for the construction of the craft and for future projects.

Roussen Class design

The design of the fast attack craft is based on the smaller Vita class vessels already in service with the Qatar Emiri Navy and similar-sized craft built for Oman and other countries.

The fast attack craft has a steel hull and aluminium superstructure. Vosper Thornycroft Controls is supplying the electrical power distribution system, the platform management system, electrical machinery and the mine counter-countermeasures system.

Fast attack craft weapons

The first three vessels are armed with the MBDA (formerly EADS Aerospatiale-Matra) Exocet ITL 70A MM40 block II surface-to-surface missile. The following four vessels have the Exocet block III version. Exocet uses active radar homing and has a range of 70km. The two four-cylinder launchers are installed on the missile deck, set in a crossed configuration with one facing starboard and one facing port side.

The vessel's air defence missile system is the RAM (rolling airframe missile), to be supplied by RAMSYS, a consortium of MBDA (formerly EADS Daimler-Chrysler Aerospace), Diehl and BGT.

The missile system's GMWS mk31 21-cell launcher is installed on the stern deck. The RIM-116A Block I missile has a dual-mode radar / imaging infra-red seeker and a range of 10km.

The craft's main gun installed on the bow deck is the Oto Melara Super Rapid 76mm gun which is capable of firing 6kg shells at a rate of 100 rounds a minute to a range of 16km. Two Oto Melara 30mm guns are installed on either side of the upper deck to the stern of the main radar mast.

The ship is equipped with the Argo Systems AR900 electronic support measures system and the Sippican SRBOC decoy launcher.

Vessel combat management

The vessel is fitted with the Tacticos combat management system supplied by Thales Nederland (formerly Signaal). Tacticos provides automatic threat evaluation, allocates sensors and assigns weapons for target engagement.

The combat room accommodates the MOC mk3 consoles which include three vertical consoles and one conference console. The Tacticos system is integrated with the Exocet missiles, 76mm gun, 30mm guns, RAM system, DR 3000 electronic support measures and the chaff launcher.

The craft is equipped with the Thales Nederland Sting fire control system.

Sensors

The vessel's sensor suite includes the Thales MW08 3D G-band surveillance radar, Thales Nederland Mirador electro-optical target tracker, an integrated Thales Nederland Scout mkII low probability of intercept radar and Northrop Grumman (formerly Litton) Marine Bridgemaster-E navigation radar.

Communications

Redifon is supplying the communications system. The Data Link 11, model MDM 2002 is supplied by Rockwell Collins. The radome of the satellite communications system is installed on the upper deck between the main radar tower and the 30mm guns.

Intercom Systems A/S of Denmark will supply the ICS 2000 integrated communications system. The information friend or foe system is the Aeromaritime IFF mk12

Propulsion

The main propulsion system is four MTU 16V595 TE90 engines with ZF type BW1556666 / 1557 S gear boxes and three 250kW generators driving four fixed-pitch propellers. The fast combat craft achieves a speed of 35kt. Vosper Thornycroft Marine Products is supplying the 900 Series steering system and the 300 Series stabiliser system.