In collaboration with the French defence procurement agency (DGA), DCNS has unveiled the French Navy’s new FTI (Fregate de Taille Intermediaire) medium-size frigate design at Euronaval in Paris, France.
According to DCNS, the 4,000-tonne front-line frigate will be equipped for anti-submarine warfare with widened self-defence and commando-projection capacities.
The FTI will integrate the Thales Sea Fire four flat antenna radar and feature ASTER® 30 missiles from MBDA. The FTI will also be equipped with a new model hull sonar with new transducer technology for improved detection capabilities.
The new frigates are positioned between the 6,000-tonne FREMM multi-mission frigate and the 2,500- to 3,000-tonne Gowind corvettes. The inverted bow design of the FTIs ensures greater stability at high speeds, DCNS further said.
FTIs are expected to replace the insufficiently armed La Fayette-class light frigates. According to Thales, France envisions a five-unit order with first delivery to the navy in 2023.
Hoping to build on the international market succes of the La Fayette, DCNS is also offering an export version of the new frigate. As the company explained, the export version is named BELH@RRA® in reference to Europe’s only giant wave: the Belharra. The first “a” transformed into an @ makes reference to the highly digital nature of the frigate.