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French frigate Lorraine

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JS Yamagiri (rear) and Lorraine (foreground) during the Japan-France bilateral exercise OGURI-VERNY 23-2
History
France
NameLorraine
NamesakeLorraine
Ordered2008
BuilderDCNS, Lorient
Laid down15 May 2019
Launched13 November 2020
Acquired16 November 2022
Commissioned13 November 2023[1]
HomeportToulon
IdentificationPennant number: D657
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeAquitaine-class frigate
Displacement6,000+ tons
Length466 ft (142.0 m)
Beam65 ft (19.8 m)
Draught16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion
Speed27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph); max cruise speed 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement145+
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × NH90 helicopter
Aviation facilitiesSingle hangar

Lorraine (D657) is an Aquitaine-class frigate of the French Navy which were developed through the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.[4] She is the second of two air-defence variants of the class known as FREMM DA (Frégate Européenne Multimissions de Défense Aérienne) in the program.[5]

Development and design

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Original plans were for 17 FREMM hulls to replace the nine D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos and nine anti-submarine (ASW) frigates of the Tourville and Georges Leygues classes. In November 2005 France announced a contract of €3.5 billion for development and the first eight hulls, with options for nine more costing €2.95 billion split over two tranches (totaling 17).

Following the cancellation of the third and fourth of the Horizon-class frigates in 2005 on budget grounds, requirements for an air-defence derivative of the FREMM called FREDA were placed – with DCNS coming up with several proposals.[6] Expectations were that the last two ships of the 17 FREMM planned would be built to FREDA specifications; however, by 2008 the plan was revised down to just 11 FREMM (9 ASW variants and 2 FREDA variants) at a cost of €8.75 billion (FY13, ~US$12 billion).[7] The 11 ships would cost €670 million (~US$760m) each in FY2014, or €860m (~US$980m) including development costs.[7] Subsequently, the class was further reduced to a total of eight ships, though both air defence variants were retained.

Lorraine is the second of two FREMM frigates built to FREDA specifications, alongside Alsace.[8] Lorraine and her sister ship retain most of the armaments and sensors of their ASW sister ships within the FREMM class. However, the ships have enhancements related to air defence including a more powerful Thales Herakles multi-function radar with more transmitter modules and additional wave-forms and search modes for long range air defence. Additional communications systems, consoles in the combat information centre and berthings for additional personnel are also integrated into the ship. A reinforced bridge structure is incorporated to accommodate the enhanced weight of these systems.[9] The ships also incorporate Sylver A50 vertical launch systems permitting them to carry both MBDA Aster 15 and/or 30 surface-to-air missiles.[10] On the two AAW variants, the Sylver A70 launch systems (used for land-attack cruise missiles on the ASW variants) are removed to provide space for fitting double the number of A50 cells for Aster SAMs.[11][12][13]

Construction and career

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Lorraine was developed as part of a joint Italian-French program known as FREMM, which was implemented to develop a new class of frigates for use by various European navies. Formally laid down in 2019, the frigate Lorraine was launched at the Lorient shipyard on 13 November 2020.[8] She began sea trials in February 2022 and was delivered to the French Navy on 16 November 2022.[14][15] In late 2022 she began a period of testing and exercises prior to being accepted into full operational service.[16]

In March 2023, on exercises, the frigate was reported to have successfully launched an Aster-30 air defence missile.[17] In April 2023, but still prior to her full acceptance into active service, Lorraine began a long-term deployment to the Pacific region.[18] Later in the month, the frigate was tasked to participate in the evacuation of French and allied nationals from Sudan. For that mission, the ship reportedly embarked a French Army Puma helicopter, taken aboard at Djibouti.[19] In June, the frigate engaged in a series of exercises with vessels of the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force, including the destroyer Yamagiri, the frigate Kumano and the submarine Taigei.[20] In the same month, she also integrated with the USS Ronald Reagan carrier battle group for fifteen days.[21]

The ship was formally commissioned on 13 November 2023.[22]

References

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  1. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (15 November 2023). "Lorraine : la Marine nationale met en service sa 8ème et dernière frégate du type FREMM". Mer et Marine (in French).
  2. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (9 September 2020). "French Navy's First FREMM DA 'Alsace' To Start Sea Trials In Early October". Naval News. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  3. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (17 October 2022). "First Exocet MM40 Block 3c Missiles Set For December Delivery". Naval News. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  4. ^ "Aquitaine class Multipurpose Frigate". Seaforces.org. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  5. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (13 November 2020). "Photos: Naval Group Launches 'Lorraine', Its Final FREMM Frigate". navalnews.com. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  6. ^ "FREMM : Supprimer des frégates, un non sens économique et stratégique?". Mer et Marine (in French). 19 September 2007. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Projet de loi de finances pour 2015 : Défense : équipement des forces" (in French). Senate of France. 20 November 2014. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 2015-02-22.
  8. ^ a b Jaouen, Catherine (2020-11-14). "La FREMM Lorraine est dans son élément". Ouest-France (in French). Lorient. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-11-14.
  9. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (22 November 2021). "French Navy's First Air Defense FREMM 'Alsace' Enters Active Duty". Naval News. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
  10. ^ "Photos: Naval Group Launches 'Lorraine', Its Final FREMM Frigate". Naval News. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  11. ^ "Details on the FREDA: The Future Air-Defense FREMM Frigates of the French Navy". Navyrecognition.com.
  12. ^ "French Navy Fitting Aster 30 Long Range SAM on its Last Two ASW FREMM Frigates". Navyrecognition.com.
  13. ^ Tringham, Kate (19 April 2021). "Naval Group delivers first FREMM air-defence frigate to French Navy". Janes. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  14. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (22 February 2022). "France's Final FREMM Frigate 'Lorraine' Starts Sea Trials". Naval News. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Première cérémonie des couleurs et premier commandant pour la FREMM Lorraine". Mer et Marine (in French). 10 July 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  16. ^ "La Marine prend en charge la FREMM-DA Lorraine" (in French). Ministère des Armées. 18 November 2022. Retrieved 29 September 2022.
  17. ^ "La FREMM DA Lorraine tire avec succès un missile de défense aérienne Aster 30". Mer et Marine. 24 March 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  18. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (13 April 2023). "La FREMM Lorraine débute son DLD qui va la conduire jusque dans le Pacifique". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  19. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (27 April 2023). "How A Not-Yet-Commissioned Frigate Played A Key Role In Sudan Evacuation Operations". Naval News. Retrieved 28 April 2023.
  20. ^ "FAPF – Manœuvres conjointes entre les forces maritimes japonaises et la FREMM-DA Lorraine". Ministère des Armées. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 15 June 2023.
  21. ^ "« Plug and fight » : entraînements mutuels avec les Forces françaises à Djibouti pour la FREMM DA Lorraine". Ministère des Armées. 27 July 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  22. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (15 November 2023). "Lorraine : la Marine nationale met en service sa 8ème et dernière frégate du type FREMM". Mer et Marine (in French).
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