Italian Fincantieri Wins $795M Contract for US Navy FFG(X) Frigate Program, beating Spanish Navantia F-110

The Navy awarded a $795-million contract to Fincantieri to begin building a new class of guided-missile frigates, in the first new major shipbuilding program the service has started in more than a decade, the Navy announced today.
Fincantieri beat out what was originally four other competitors, who were asked by the Navy to take a mature parent design and evolve it to meet the Navy’s needs for potential high-end warfare. Fincantieri, which will build its frigate at its Marinette Marine shipyard in Wisconsin, based its FFG(X) design on the FREMM multi-mission frigate already operated by the French and Italian navies.
Source says that Spain didn't win contract with the Navy because of the current Spanish Social Communist government and the withdrawal of F-104 'Mendez Nuñez' from U.S. Navy Carrier Strike Group, last May 2019, amid tensions with Iran.
usni

Egypt takes delivery of Second Batch of Rafale fighters

Egypt has taken delivery of three Rafale fighters from France, the second batch of fighter jets under a contact last signed last year.
The three fighters were delivered in Cairo on Thursday.
Egypt now has a total of six Rafales. The first batch of three aircraft was delivered in July.
Under the deal with France, Egypt ordered 24 Rafales and a FREMM frigate for its Navy. The frigate from DCNS is already operational.
upi.com

First qualification firing of MdCN missile carried out

On 1st July 2013, the French DGA successfully carried out the first qualification firing of the naval cruise missile (MdCN or Missile de Croisière Naval). The firing took place at the DGA’s Biscarrosse missile test centre (situated in the department of Landes in South West France) and, was representative of a firing from a frigate.
The firing scenario was especially demanding as, in addition to meeting range objectives, it also served to validate the missile’s performance with regard to its autonomous terminal navigation using infrared target recognition.
MdCN will eventually equip the French Navy’s multi-mission frigates (FREMM) and its Barracuda submarines.
mbda-systems

French Minister of Defence confirms 11 FREMM Frigates and 6 Barracuda Submarines will be built

French Minister of Defence Jean-Yves Le Drian confirmed this morning in Daily Ouest-France, the construction of 11 FREMM multi-mission frigates (as opposed to eight according to recent rumors following the publication of a White Paper on Defense last week) and 6 Barracuda new generation nuclear-powered attack submarines (SSN). The Minister also announced an increase in defense resources and personnel in Brittany.

navyrecognition

French Navy Aquitaine FREMM Frigate succesfully fires its first MBDA Aster 15 surface-to-air missile

On Monday, 4th February 2013, first of class Aquitaine, the newest class of frigate in the French Navy’s fleet, has successfully fired its first MBDA Aster 15 air defence missile in the Mediterranean from the DGA (French Procurement Agency) Missile test centre. The FREMM is the third type of ship of the French Navy equipped with Aster missiles after the Charles de Gaulle nuclear powered Aircraft Carrier (CVN) and the Forbin class air defense Destroyers (DDG).

navyrecognition

DCNS Delivers First FREMM Frigate

On 23 November, European Joint Armament Cooperation Organisation OCCAR* formally signed acceptance documents on behalf of French defence procurement agency DGA following the delivery of FREMM frigate Aquitaine in compliance with all contractual requirements.
Aquitaine is the first FREMM multimission frigate for the French Navy.


defencetalk

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.

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Francia recibe nuevos misiles Exocet MM40 Block 3 antibuque /French DGA Certifies First Delivery of Block-3 Exocet Missiles

La Dirección general de Armamento Francesa ha aceptado las primeras cuatro unidades de la versión mejorada del misil antibuque Exocet, el Exocet MM40 Block 3.
Se esperan recibir hasta 45 MM40 Block 3 hasta 2013.
Los misiles dotarán inicialmente a dos fragatas Horizon, la Forbin y la Chevalier Paul, y posteriormente a las tipo FREMM.
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The Direction Générale de l'Armement (DGA) has certified and accepted delivery of the first units of the Block 3 version of the surface-to-surface Exocet MM40 anti-ship missile from MBDA
The Block Three version seeks to maintain at the highest level the operational capacity of the MM40, by doubling its range and permitting it to strike targets in the coastal zone," the DGA said.
On Dec. 6, the DGA qualified the new version of the missile and the quality department took delivery of the first four units 10 days later.
A first batch of 45 MM40 Block Three missiles is due for delivery to the French Navy by mid-2013.
The DGA ordered the missiles in December 2008 from MBDA. The weapons will initially arm the two Horizon air defense frigates, the Forbin and Chevalier Paul, and will go on to equip the FREMM multi-mission frigates currently being built for the French Navy by naval systems company DCNS.
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Francia ofrece fragatas FREMM a Brasil para modernizar su Armada/ France To Outline Naval Package for Brazil

Francia propondrá un paquete de buques de patrulla (OPV), fragatas y un buque auxiliar de abastecimiento, para competir contra Gran Bretaña e Italia en el próximo proceso de modernización de la Marinha do Brasil. Las fragatas ofrecidas por Francia son similares a las que recibirá la Marine Nationale.
defensenews.com
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France will propose a package of ocean patrol vessels (OPVs), frigates and an auxiliary refueling tanker in competition with Britain and Italy in response to Brazil's modernization of its surface fleet.
Brazil has not opened an international tender but is holding "consultations" with European countries.
France would offer the same class of frigate, the FREMM, as that being built for the French Navy.
defensenews.com

Francia comienza las pruebas del misil de crucero naval Scalp/ France has begun flight trials of the MBDA Scalp Naval sea-launched cruise missile

El primer lanzamiento de prueba del misil de crucero naval Scalp, tuvo lugar en el polígono de tiro de Biscarrosse, en Francia, el pasado 28 de Mayo de 2010, aunque no se ha anunciado hasta el quince de junio de 2010.
El misil fue disparado desde un lanzador vertical, que será instalado en las futuras fragatas multipropósito FREMM y en los submarino tipo Barracuda de la Marine Nationale francesa.
Francia pretende disponer de 150 misiles Scalp para sus fragatas FREMM hacia 2014, y 50 en sus submarinos hacia 2017.
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The test firing Scalp Naval missile, took place at France’s missile range at Biscarrosse on May 28, but DGA only announced the event June 15.
The missile was fired from a vertical launcher which would be used for the operational application on the Fremm multipurpose frigate and the Barracuda submarine.
France is looking to field 150 Scalp Navals on Fremm frigates starting in 2014, with the 50 submarine-launched weapons due to come into inventory in 2017.
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Francia bota la primera fragata FREMM/France Launches First European Multi-mission Frigate

Francia ha botado la fragata Aquitaine la primera fragata de nueva generación multi-misión (FREMM) en los astilleros de Lorient. La Aquitaine, es la primera unidad de un programa europeo de construcción de fragatas multi-misión, mide 142 metros de eslora y desplaza 6.000 toneladas. Llevará un helicóptero NH90 y equipamiento sofisticado.
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France launched Aquitaine, the first multi-mission frigate (FREMM) of the new generation made by Europeans on Tuesday in Lorient, a port in western France, where President Nicolas Sarkozy attended the opening ceremony.
As the vessel was purchased by the French Navy, Defense Minister Herve Morin took part in the ceremony accompanying the president as well as the Industry Minister Christian Estrosi, according to a statement released by the Elysee Palace.
Aquitaine, the first product of a European program of building multi-mission frigates, is 142 meters long and of 6,000 tonnages. It will carry an NH90 helicopter and an anti-submarine besides other sophisticated weaponry.
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