French Navy today

[Pelican]

Navy Lookout

Marine Nationale sends warships on global deployment that will circumnavigate the world.
Interesting to note the outline route published in advance (RN never does this).
Does not pass through South China Sea.

See - https://news.usni.org/2023/02/03/french ... deployment

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Frigate Amiral Ronarc'h pictured fitting out at Lorient in April 2023.

[Brian James]

Lead Boat, museum ship SSBN Le Redoutable pictured at the Cité de la Mer naval museum in Cherbourg-Octeville.

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Frigate Amiral Ronarc'h pictured fitting out at Lorient in January 2023.

[Pelican]

Franco-Italian Horizon-class MLU moves forward

A formal contract for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the four Franco-Italian Horizon-class anti-air warfare (AAW) frigates is expected to be signed in the coming weeks, Fincantieri and Naval Group, operating under their 50/50 joint venture (JV) partnership Naviris, announced.

The pending deal follows a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by representatives from Italy and France at the Paris Air Show 2023 on 20 June.

Built under a joint programme between Fincantieri and Naval Group between 2000 and 2010 the Horizon class comprises two Forbin-class frigates operated by the French Navy and two Andrea Doria-class destroyers operated by the Italian Navy.

The MLU will cover the overall modernisation of the frigates, with a particular focus on the AAW capabilities (including the radars, weapons, and related command-and-control), the platform and combat system, and the electronic warfare (EW) system that will be common to both countries.
Continues at - https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news ... es-forward - LFT

[Brian James]

Lead Ship, Defense and Intervention Frigate Amiral Ronarc'h pictured fitting out at Naval Group's Lorient Shipyard in June 2023.

[Pelican]

Franco-Italian Horizon-class MLU moves forward

A formal contract for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the four Franco-Italian Horizon-class anti-air warfare (AAW) frigates is expected to be signed in the coming weeks, Fincantieri and Naval Group, operating under their 50/50 joint venture (JV) partnership Naviris, announced.

The pending deal follows a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by representatives from Italy and France at the Paris Air Show 2023 on 20 June.

Built under a joint programme between Fincantieri and Naval Group between 2000 and 2010 the Horizon class comprises two Forbin-class frigates operated by the French Navy and two Andrea Doria-class destroyers operated by the Italian Navy.
Continues at - https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news ... s-forward- LFT

[Brian James]

Aquitaine Class FREMM Frigate Alsace pictured at Arsenal de Toulon on July 20th 2023.

[Pelican]

MONGE A601

The vessel is the Monge (A601) a unique missile range instrumentation ship of the French Navy.
Vessel is dedicated to tracking and measuring rocket trajectories. (mostly from submarines)
MONGE entered service on 5 November 1992 and is based at Brest, France.
• Displacement: 17,760 long tons (18,040 t) • standard, 21,040 long tons (21,380 t) full
• Length: 225.6 m (740 ft 2 in)
• Beam: 24.8 m (81 ft 4 in)
• Draught: 7.7 m (25 ft 3 in)

[Pelican]

French Navy successfully tests new Exocet missile

https://ukdefencejournal.org.uk/french- ... t-missile/