FREMM multipurpose frigate

Italian first FREMM Carlo Bergamini (F590)
Class overview
Name:	FREMM
Builders:	Italy
Operators:	Marine Nationale  Marina Militare  Royal Moroccan Navy  Egyptian Navy
Preceded by:	Georges Leygues class (France) Cassard class (France) Soldati class (Italy) Maestrale class (Italy)
Cost:	€670m/unit(FY 2014)(France) €598m/unit(FY 2016)(Italy) €470m/unit (Morocco)
Built:	2007-
In commission:	2012-
Planned:	20 (France 8, Italy 10, Morocco 1, Egypt 1)
Cancelled:	9 out of originaly 17 for French navy
Active:	10 (Italy 5, France 3, Morocco 1, Egypt 1)
General characteristics
Type:	Frigate
Displacement:	France: 6,000 tonnes Italy: 6,700 tonnes
Length:	France: 142 m (466 ft) LOA Italy: 144.6 m (474 ft) LOA Italy: 132.5 m (435 ft) LPP
Beam:	France: 20 m (66 ft) Italy: 19.7 m (65 ft)
Draught:	France: 5 m (16 ft) Italy: 8.7 m (29 ft)
Draft:	Italy: 5.1 m (17 ft)
Propulsion:	France: CODLOG Italy: CODLAG 1 × 32 MW gas turbine General Electric/Avio LM2500+G4 2 × 2.5 MW electric motors Jeumont Electric 4 × diesel generators France: MTU Series 4000 (2,2 MW everyone) Italy: Isotta Fraschini VL 1716 (T2ME series by 2,15 MW everyone, on first two frigate; HPCR series by 2,8 MW everyone, since the third frigate) 2 × shafts, driving controllable pitch propellers 1 × 1 MW bow thruster
Speed:	France: 27+ knots (50 km/h (31 mph)) Italy: 29+ knots (55 km/h (34 mph))
Range:	France: 6,000 nm (11,000 km (6,800 mi)) at 15 knots Italy: 6,700 nm (12,300 km (7,600 mi)) at 15 knots
Complement:	France: 145 Italy: 199 GP version / 201 ASW version
Crew:	Italy: 131 GP version / 133 ASW version; add 14 crew for one helo on board or add 23 crew for two helos on board
Sensors and processing systems:	France: Héraklès multi-purpose passive electronically scanned array radar Italy: Selex ES MFRA Active electronically scanned array radar
Armament:	Anti-air missiles: France: 16-cell SYLVER A43 VLS for 16 Aster 15 missiles Italy: 16-cell SYLVER A50 VLS for 16 Aster 15 and 30 missiles Guns: France: 1 × OTO Melara 76 mm SR gun Italy: 2 × OTO Melara 76/62 mm Davide/Strales CIWS guns (ASuW variant) 1 × Otobreda 127/64 Vulcano and 1 × OTO Melara 76/62 mm Davide/Strales CIWS gun (GP variant) Small guns: France: 3 × Nexter 20mm Narwhal remote weapon systems Italy: 2 × Oto Melara/Oerlikon KBA 25/80 mm remote weapon systems Anti-ship missiles: France: 8 × MM-40 Exocet block 3 anti-ship missiles Italy: 8 × Teseo\Otomat Mk-2/A anti-ship and land attack missiles Land-attack cruise missiles: France: 16-cell SYLVER A70 VLS for 16 × SCALP Naval land-attack cruise missiles Anti-submarine warfare: France: 2 x double WASS B-515 launcher for MU 90 torpedoes Italy: 2 x triple WASS B-515/3 launcher for MU 90 torpedoes and (only ASW variant) 4 x Milas missiles
Aircraft carried:	France:1 × NH90 Italy: 2 × SH90 or 1 × SH90 and 1 × AW101
Aviation facilities:	France: single hangar Italy: double hangar

The FREMM ("European multi-purpose frigate"; French: Frégate européenne multi-mission; Italian: Fregata europea multi-missione) is a class of multi-purpose frigates designed by DCNS/Armaris and Fincantieri for the navies of France and Italy. The lead ship of the class, Aquitaine, was commissioned in November 2012 by the French Navy. In France the class is known as the Aquitaine class, while in Italy they are known as the Bergamini class. Italy has ordered six general purpose variants and four anti-submarine variants; the last two Italian general purpose FREMMs will have anti-aircraft warfare, anti-ballistic missile and surface attack capabilities. France has ordered six anti-submarine variants, and two air-defence variants.

Three original variants of the FREMM were proposed; an anti-submarine variant (ASW) and a general-purpose variant (GP) and a land-attack variant (AVT) to replace the existing classes of frigates within the French and Italian navies. A total of 27 FREMM were to be constructed - 17 for France and 10 for Italy - with additional aims to seek exports, however budget cuts and changing requirements has seen this number drop significantly (for France). The land-attack variant (AVT) was subsequently cancelled.

A third anti-air warfare variant of FREMM was proposed by DCNS in repose to French requirements for a new air-defence frigate, the new variant became known as FREDA ("FREgates de Défense Aériennes", "Air defence frigate"). This new French requirement was due to the third and fourth Horizon-class frigates being cancelled after the first two cost €1,350m each, but this decision left French Navy still in-need of replacements for its ageing Cassard-class air-defence frigates.

As of 2009, the FREDA design features a more powerful version of the Thales Herakles passive electronically scanned array radar and 32 cells of SYLVER A50 in place of the 16 cells of A43 and 16 cells of A70. The SYLVER A50 would allow it to fire the 120 kilometres (75 mi)-range Aster 30 missile; the towed array sonar would not be fitted.