“Naval Group Unveils Cutting-Edge FDI Frigate Amiral Ronarc’h for the French Navy”
Naval Group officially handed over the inaugural Defence and Intervention Frigate (FDI) Amiral Ronarc’h to the French Navy during a ceremony held in Brest. The vessel, commissioned by the Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), signifies the commencement of a new fleet of five versatile frigates intended to enhance France’s maritime capabilities.
Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Naval Group, remarked: “The handover of Amiral Ronarc’h, the very first frigate of the FDI class, is a significant achievement for Naval Group. This next-generation of top-tier multi-role frigates will soon commence operational cycles, thereby bolstering the assets of our French Navy thanks to its remarkable capabilities, already showcased during sea trials. We are wholly dedicated to this extensive programme, which we take pride in delivering for the French Navy.”
Building upon the heritage of the French FREMM class, the FDI is a premier, multi-functional frigate crafted for high-intensity engagements across all combat domains — anti-air, anti-submarine, anti-surface, and asymmetric warfare. The ship integrates cutting-edge digital innovations and data-processing solutions, enabling it to tackle emerging hazards like next-gen submarines, supersonic missiles, cyber threats, and asymmetric conflicts.
The Amiral Ronarc’h showcased its seaworthiness throughout 14 weeks of sea evaluations, affirming the ship’s capability to operate competently even in demanding settings, such as a Force 6 sea condition in the Atlantic Ocean. Its streamlined design and integrated automation systems facilitate operation with a minimized crew while assuring high levels of maintainability and operational readiness.
Constructed at Naval Group’s Lorient shipyard, Amiral Ronarc’h has a displacement of 4,500 tonnes, a length of 122 metres, and a beam of 18 metres. The frigate achieves a maximum velocity of 27 knots, boasts endurance of 45 days, and accommodates 125 crew members along with 28 additional personnel. It is outfitted with MBDA Exocet MM40 Block 3C anti-ship missiles, MBDA Aster 15 and Aster 30 surface-to-air missiles, Naval Group MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes, artillery, a 10-tonne helicopter, and an unmanned aerial vehicle weighing up to 700 kilograms.
Naval Group has engineered an industrial process that enables the production of up to two FDI frigates annually. Five more vessels are presently in construction at Lorient — four for the French Navy (Amiral Louzeau, Amiral Castex, Amiral Nomy, and Amiral Cabanier) and one, the Kimon, for the Hellenic Navy, which has already initiated sea trials. The second FDI for Greece is slated for delivery by the end of 2025, followed by two additional units in 2026 and one for the French Navy in 2027.
Each FDI represents one million hours of construction work and one million hours of design and development, involving 1,200 Naval Group personnel and 400 partner firms. Built to NATO standards, the frigate ensures complete interoperability and connectivity with allied navies, symbolising the rejuvenation and modernization of France’s naval fleet.
