US Navy acknowledges French expertise in ASW
Turning to anti-submarine warfare, the FDI draws directly on the spectacular advances incorporated into FREMM frigates, now considered by many, including the US Navy, as the most formidable sub hunters in active service. In 2020 French Navy FREMMs won the coveted ‘Hook’em’ awarded by the US Navy’s Sixth Fleet Command for ASW excellence. Confidence in the type’s capabilities is such that on several occasions, the Americans asked the French explicitly if it could make a FREMM available to provide ASW cover for its aircraft carriers in certain zones. The situation is, moreover, much the same as regards anti-air warfare, given that French FREMMs have already provided tactical area air command for US Navy carrier groups. Like FREMMs, FDIs will deploy the highly effective Captas 4 very-low-frequency variable-depth towed active array sonar. FDIs will also benefit from the advances inherent in the Thales-designed all-digital BlueScan real-time multistatic solution which fuses data from multiple sources – including helo-borne dipping sonars, sonobuoys deployed by maritime patrol aircraft and sonars carried by other warships – to significantly improve enemy sub detection.
To accommodate the ever-accelerating pace of technological change, France’s future frigates are designed from the outset for faster, simpler upgrading. This is achieved by applying all-digital design principles to the general architecture along with all key systems and subsystems, including the CMS, radars, IFF, electronic warfare (EW) system, missile launchers, and platform management and cybersecurity systems.
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