Floréal-class frigate
The Floréal class is a type of light "surveillance frigates" (French: frégate de surveillance) designed for the needs of the French Navy in low-threat environments ordered in 1989. The ships are named after months of the Republican Calendar. They use construction standards of commercial ships. The frigates were built between 1990 and 1993 by the Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire, France. The six French ships of the class, Floréal, Prairial, Nivôse, Ventôse, Vendémiaire and Germinal, remain in active service.
Frigate Vendémiaire of the French Navy | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Floréal class |
| Builders | Chantiers de l'Atlantique, Saint-Nazaire |
| Operators |
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| Preceded by | D'Estienne d'Orves class |
| Succeeded by | La Fayette class; European Patrol Corvette (planned from 2030) |
| In commission | 1992–present |
| Completed |
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| Active |
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| General characteristics of French frigates | |
| Type | Frigate |
| Displacement |
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| Length | 93.5 m (306 ft 9 in) |
| Beam | 14 m (45 ft 11 in) |
| Draught | 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in) |
| Propulsion |
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| Speed | 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) |
| Range | 9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Troops | 24 marines |
| Complement | 90 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
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| Electronic warfare & decoys |
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| Armament |
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| Aircraft carried | 1 Panther helicopter or Dauphin N3 (the latter replaced former Aérospatiale Alouette III on some ships in 2022). |
| Aviation facilities | Flight deck and hangar |
The ships' main armament was two Exocet MM38 surface-to-surface missiles and a 100 mm (4 in) CADAM turret, but in 2014, the Exocets were removed at the end of their life cycle. The vessels have a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and can carry 24 marines. The vessels are used mainly to patrol the French overseas departments and regions in the Pacific, Indian Ocean and Caribbean regions, but have served in both military and humanitarian operations in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Guinea.
Two more ships were ordered by the Royal Moroccan Navy in July 1999. Constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in 2001–2002, they resemble the French vessels with minor changes. Their main armament are the two Exocet missiles and a Otobreda 76 mm (3 in) gun. The two frigates, Mohammed V and Hassan II, entered service in 2002–2003 and are used primarily for training and patrol.