Recently, during the parliamentary sessions at the National Assembly in Paris, it was revealed that the French Navy has planned a determined enhancement of their anti-aircraft and anti-missile capacities for the last couple of Defense and Intervention Frigates (FDI), thereby aligning with the choices made by the Hellenic Navy for its four Kimon class HN FDI units currently being purchased.
Therefore, from the 16 Aster missiles projected for the first three FDIs, this will increase to 32 Aster missiles for the remaining two FDIs. The number of two VLS Sylver A50 eight-cell modules planned will be doubled; the threat posed by drones and cruise missiles, as demonstrated in conflicts in the Black Sea and Red Sea, has convinced the General Staff of the French Navy to reinforce the anti-aircraft and anti-missile defenses.
The VLS Sylver A50 modules, besides the Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles, are capable of using Mica VL missiles and the Quad VT1 version of the Crotale NG.
The French Navy expects to double the anti-aircraft missile capacity for the first three FDIs at a later date, during maintenance work that requires a long stop for the units.
Currently, the ‘Amiral Ronarc’h’, the first FDI built by Naval Group for the French Navy, is completing tests ahead of the upcoming delivery.The French FDIs are armed with two VLS Sylver A50 eight-cell modules for a total of 16 Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles (set to double), eight surface-to-surface MM40 Block IIIc Exocet missiles, a Leonardo 76/62 mm cannon, two remotely controlled Narwhal 20 mm units for close defense and two double torpedo launchers for 324 mm antisubmarine MU90 torpedoes, plus a NFH90 helicopter or a H160M with a rotorcraft-type UAS up to 700 kg in weight.
