New frigates for Europe

Reported here:

The Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation (OCCAr) today awarded ARMARIS and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali the first phase of the contract for the development and building of a new generation of European multi-mission frigates (the FREMM program). This initial phase covers the development, building and in-service support for the first eight frigates destined for the French Navy: six in an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) version, and two in a land-strike version. The contract, to be apportioned equally between DCN and Thales, both shareholders in ARMARIS, is valued at 3.5 billion euros. The vessels will be delivered in stages from 2011 to 2015.

Under an inter-governmental Memorandum of Understanding signed on 15 November 2005 by the French and Italian Ministries of Defense, Italy has committed itself to order the development and building of its two first frigates no later than May 2006. This program thus confirms the principle of European defense procurement collaboration by extending French-Italian partnership on the Horizon anti-air frigate program, which was launched in October 2000.

“With a total of 27 frigates planned, the FREMM program is set to become the most extensive series of warships ever built in Europe,” affirmed Pierre Legros, Executive Chairman of ARMARIS.

CDR Salamander will be jealous.