“Admiral Ronarc’h: A New Era Begins with the FDI Frigate’s Maiden Sea Trials!”
After the unveiling of the Amiral Ronarc’h frigate at the end of 2022, alongside the initiation of two Hellenic Navy frigates, HS Kimon in October 2023 and HS Nearchos on September 19, 2024, a notable achievement in the FDI (Frigates de défense et d’intervention) initiative was reached on October 7, 2024, in Lorient (France) with the start of the initial sea trials for the premier unit of the project, authorized by the Armament General Directorate (DGA) and designated for the French Navy.
Designed for operation by the French Navy, the FDI Amiral Ronarc’h has embarked on her first sea trials from the Naval Group site in Lorient, Brittany. This stage allows teams to acclimate to their new vessel and assess all systems and equipment in real-world conditions. As the Amiral Ronarc’h symbolizes the inaugural unit in the FDI initiative, the knowledge gained from her trials will serve to enhance subsequent units commissioned by both the French and Hellenic Naval Forces (Greece).
Unlike traditional evaluations usually performed on frigates, these assessments will go beyond simple navigation and propulsion tests, including examinations of the combat system under genuine maritime circumstances.
FDI: The Premier Advanced, Digital, and Cyber-Resilient Multi-Role Combat Frigate
The FDI frigate is an adaptable, formidable deep-water vessel capable of operating autonomously or as part of a naval fleet across all combat arenas: anti-ship, anti-air, anti-submarine, asymmetric threats, and special forces deployment. Combining the pinnacle of French naval innovations on a compact platform, the FDI represents a powerful and revolutionary frigate, designed to confront emerging threats.
Engineered and constructed with state-of-the-art digital technologies, these vessels are also the first frigates to feature an onboard digital architecture, allowing for continuous adaptation to technological and operational improvements. Thus, the FDIs will be ready to tackle current and future high-capacity threats, offering 360° defense across all frequency spectra, while proficiently handling an escalating data flow.
The FDI will furthermore be the first French frigates inherently protected against cyber challenges, equipped with a redundant IT structure centered on two data hubs that virtually host a significant portion of the ship’s IT operations. In terms of operational enhancements, the FDI is pioneering a specialized gateway concept aimed at addressing asymmetric threats. This system will streamline the coordination and management of responses to small, near-air and surface dangers, especially explosive-laden vessels.
Armed to the teeth (Exocet MM40 anti-ship missiles, ASTER anti-air missiles, MU90 anti-submarine torpedoes, and an array of artillery calibers), the FDIs designated for the French Navy can support a heavy helicopter (10t class, like the Caïman Marine) or the upcoming Guépard Marine, along with an aerial drone, while also facilitating the deployment of special forces using two commando boats. They are equipped with the next-generation Sea Fire radar featuring four fixed panels, developed by Thales, which, in conjunction with the missile launch system, bestows them with extensive area defense capabilities.
Technical Specifications
- Displacement: 4,500 tons class
- Length: 122 meters
- Width: 18 meters
- Speed: 27 knots
- Autonomy: 45 days
- Accommodation: crew of 125 + 28 passengers
