French frigate Alsace

Alsace on 21 March 2021
History
France
NameAlsace
NamesakeAlsace
Ordered2008
BuilderDCNS, Lorient
Laid downJune 2016
Launched18 April 2019
Commissioned16 April 2021
HomeportToulon
IdentificationPennant number: D656
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeAquitaine-class frigate
Displacement6,000+ tons
Length142 m (465 ft 11 in)
Beam20 m (65 ft 7 in)
Draught7.6 m (24 ft 11 in)
Propulsion
Speed27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph); max cruise speed 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement145+
Sensors and
processing systems
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × NH90 helicopter
Aviation facilitiesSingle hangar

Alsace (D656) is an Aquitaine-class frigate of the French Navy developed through the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.[5] She is the first of two air-defence variants of the class known as FREMM DA (Frégate Européenne Multimissions de Défense Aérienne) in the program.

Development and design

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Original plans were for 17 FREMM hulls to replace the nine D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos and nine anti-submarine (ASW) frigates of the Tourville and Georges Leygues classes. In November 2005 France announced a contract of €3.5 billion for development and the first eight hulls, with options for nine more costing €2.95 billion split over two tranches (totaling 17).

Following the cancellation of the third and fourth of the Horizon-class frigates in 2005 on budget grounds, requirements for an air-defence derivative of the FREMM called FREDA were placed – with DCNS coming up with several proposals.[6] Expectations were that the last two ships of the 17 FREMM planned would be built to FREDA specifications; however, by 2008 the plan was revised down to just 11 FREMM (9 ASW variants and 2 FREDA variants) at a cost of €8.75 billion (FY13, ~US$12 billion).[7] The 11 ships would cost €670 million (~US$760m) each in FY2014, or €860m (~US$980m) including development costs.[7] Subsequently, the class was further reduced to a total of eight ships, though both air-defence variants (Alsace and Lorraine) were retained.

Alsace and her sister ship retain most of the armaments and sensors of their ASW sister ships within the FREMM class. However, the ships have enhancements related to air defence including a more powerful Thales Herakles multi-function radar with more transmitter modules and additional wave-forms and search modes for long range air defence. Additional communications systems, consoles in the combat information centre and berthings for additional personnel are also integrated into the ship. A reinforced bridge structure is incorporated to accommodate the enhanced weight of these systems.[8] The ships also incorporate Sylver A50 vertical launch systems permitting them to carry both MBDA Aster 15 and/or 30 surface-to-air missiles.[9] On the two AAW variants, the Sylver A70 launch systems (used for land-attack cruise missiles on the ASW variants) are removed to provide space for fitting double the number of A50 cells for Aster SAMs.[10][11][12]

Construction and career

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Alsace was developed as part of a joint Italian-French program known as FREMM, which was implemented to develop a new class of frigates for use by various European navies. Constructed from 2016. On 18 April 2019, the frigate Alsace was launched. She began sea trials in October 2020[13] and was delivered to French Navy in April 2021.[14] The ship was declared fully operational on 22 November 2021.[8]

From 18 November to 2 December 2021, Alsace took part in Exercise Polaris 21 in the western Mediterranean Sea.[15]

From January to May 2022, Alsace deployed as part of Clemenceau 22 led by the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.[16] According to the ship's captain, Sébastien Baquer, while the Horizon-class frigate Forbin took on the lead air defence mission within the task group, Alsace performed the primary air defence mission as part of the task group "for significant periods" during the deployment. During other periods, Alsace carried out a primary anti-submarine mission. Speaking about how the frigate balances its air defence and ASW missions, Captain Baquer noted that: "a single unit cannot optimize its capabilities in both areas simultaneously, but they are not mutually exclusive. Thus, FREMM DA adapts its electro-acoustic policy to the maneuver idea of the commander of the Carrier Strike Group (CSG) and is able to change its priority domain at short notice".[17]

In October 2023 Alsace was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean during the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, joining the helicopter assault ship Tonnerre and the frigate Surcouf which were also deployed to the region.[18] In January 2024, she transitted through the Suez Canal to join multi-national defence operations in the Red Sea in the face of Houthi attacks against international shipping.[19] On 21 March 2024, Alsace shot down three ballistic missiles coming from Yemen, likely using the Aster 30 missile.[20]

References

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  1. ^ "French Navy's First FREMM DA 'Alsace' To Start Sea Trials In Early October". Naval News. 9 September 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  2. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (21 July 2023). "La FREMM Alsace dotée de sa nouvelle conduite de tir STIR 1.2 EO Mk2". Mer et Marine. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  3. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (29 September 2023). "MBDA : le missile antinavire Exocet MM40 Block3c bon pour le service". Mer et Marine.
  4. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (17 October 2022). "First Exocet MM40 Block 3c Missiles Set For December Delivery". Naval News. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  5. ^ "Aquitaine class FREMM Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  6. ^ "FREMM : Supprimer des frégates, un non sens économique et stratégique?". Mer et Marine (in French). 19 September 2007. Archived from the original on 18 May 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2013.
  7. ^ a b "Projet de loi de finances pour 2015 : Défense : équipement des forces" (in French). Senate of France. 20 November 2014. Archived from the original on 16 December 2014. Retrieved 2015-02-22.
  8. ^ a b Vavasseur, Xavier (22 November 2021). "French Navy's First Air Defense FREMM 'Alsace' Enters Active Duty". Naval News. Retrieved 26 November 2021.
  9. ^ "Photos: Naval Group Launches 'Lorraine', Its Final FREMM Frigate". navalnews.com. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  10. ^ "Details on the FREDA: The Future Air-Defense FREMM Frigates of the French Navy". Navy Recognition.
  11. ^ "French Navy Fitting Aster 30 Long Range SAM on its Last Two ASW FREMM Frigates". www.navyrecognition.com.
  12. ^ "Naval Group delivers first FREMM air-defence frigate to French Navy".
  13. ^ "Pictures: French Navy's First Air Defense FREMM 'Alsace' Starts Sea Trials". navalnews.com. 7 October 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2020.
  14. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (16 April 2021). "Naval Group Delivers First Air Defense FREMM 'Alsace' to the French Navy".
  15. ^ Manaranche, Martin (31 May 2022). "Feedback On French Navy High Intensity Exercise POLARIS". Naval News. Retrieved 2 June 2022.
  16. ^ Manaranche, Martin (1 February 2022). "French Carrier Strike Group Begins 'Clemenceau 22' Deployment". Naval News. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
  17. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (15 October 2022). "France's New FREMM DA Alsace Proved Its Worth On First Deployment". Naval News. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
  18. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (26 October 2023). "France Deploys One LHD, Two Frigates To The Eastern Mediterranean". Naval News. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  19. ^ @NavyLookout (22 January 2024). "@NavyLookout 🇫🇷French frigate FS Alsace has transited the Suez Canal to join maritime security operations in the Red Sea and will likely replace FS Languedoc" (Tweet). Retrieved 22 January 2024 – via Twitter.
  20. ^ Vavassuer, Xavier (21 March 2024). "French Navy Air Defense FREMM Intercepts 3 Ballistic Missiles". Naval News. Retrieved 22 March 2024.
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