Naval Group launches the second Defence and Intervention Frigate (FDI) for the French Navy, Amiral Louzeau
Defense Naval
Article - Press release
The launching ceremony for the FDI, named Amiral Louzeau, was attended by Amiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of staff of the French Navy, representatives of French Government defence procurement and technology agency, and Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group.
In the coming days, Naval Group teams will carry out the installation of the Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module (PSIM), an integrated mast providing state-of-the-art technological and operational performance. Building the PSIM in parallel with the hull helps secure testing activities and reduces production times by approximately five months.
The FDI’s first sea trials will begin in 2027, with delivery scheduled for the end of the year. Deliveries of the remaining three vessels in the series of five FDIs ordered for the French Navy will continue through to 2032.
At the same time, Naval Group is also building three additional FDIs for Greece, alongside the HS Kimon, delivered in December 2025. Two of these vessels will be delivered to the Hellenic Navy by the end of 2026.
Today, we are celebrating an important milestone for the FDI programme with the launch of the second French FDI, alongside our partners, the DGA and the French Navy, whom we thank for their trust. This second frigate for France will strengthen the French Navy’s fleet in support of its superiority at sea.
An industrial performance
Thanks to the investments made by Naval Group, the site of Lorient has a modern industrial infrastructure that enables it to meet the technical and technological challenges of designing and building naval vessels in series. Thanks to this industrial organisation that optimises construction times, Naval Group can deliver two ships per year at its Lorient shipyard.
FDI, a first-rank multi-role frigate
The FDI is equipped with proven capabilities in all areas of combat: anti-aircraft, anti-submarine, anti-surface and asymmetric warfare.
Evolutive and versatile, it uncompromisingly combines all the functions enabling it to manage, either independently or as part of a fleet, current and emerging threats such as latest-generation submarines, supersonic missiles, cyberattacks and multifaceted asymmetric threats. To this end, it is equipped with advanced digital and data processing technologies. Its compact layout and unique design make it perfectly suited to different environments and rough seas around the world.
Technical specifications:
- displacement: 4,500 tons class;
- length : 122 meters;
- beam : 18 meters;
- max. speed : 27 knots;
- Autonomy: 5,000 nautical, 45 days.
