The FREMM frigate 'Provence' was floated out of its building dock at DCNS' Lorient shipyard in mid-September. Eleven of the 12 FREMM frigates on order are for the French Navy.
Operations began in the morning with the flooding of the building dock. The ship was gently floated out of the building dock. Tugs then moved the frigate to a nearby outfitting berth.
Over the coming months, DCNS specialists and subcontractor teams will install the ship's systems. The next major milestone will be the installation of the 'Provence's masts and sensors, including her radars, antennas, cameras and jammers.
DCNS began building the 'Provence', the third Aquitaine-class FREMM frigate for the French Navy, in December 2010. These highly automated surface combatants require a complement of just 108, or less than half the number required to man earlier generation vessels with similar capabilities.
The FREMM multi-mission design concept can combine missions including anti-air warfare (AAW), anti-surface warfare (ASuW) and anti-submarine warfare (ASW).
In Novemeber last year, following the delivery of first-of-class FREMM frigate 'Aquitaine' for the French Navy in compliance with the relevant contractual requirements, European Joint Armament Cooperation Organisation OCCAR signed off her acceptance on behalf of French defence procurement agency DGA.
