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Sea trials set for new French frigate

The future French Navy FREMM frigate Languedoc is afloat and ready to begin sea trials off the coast of Brittany.

By Richard Tomkins
The French Navy FREMM frigate Aquitaine. U.S. Navy photo.
The French Navy FREMM frigate Aquitaine. U.S. Navy photo.

LORIENT, France, Oct. 8 (UPI) -- French shipbuilder DCNS reports a FREMM frigate for the French Navy is about to undergo sea trials to test its propulsion and navigation systems.

The Languedoc will be the third FREMM multi-role frigate for France.

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DCNS said the test period off the coast of Brittany will take place over a period of six weeks instead of the eight weeks of testing of previously built FREMMs.

"The acceleration of the trial scheduling for the FREMM Languedoc is a demonstration of DCNS capacity to ensure efficient serial production", said Anne Bianchi, director of the FREMM Program at DCNS.

The experience and lessons learned from the FREMMs already delivered enabled DCNS and its partners to proceed with the integration of the combat system's sensors and weapons prior to the FREMM Languedoc's first sea outing, leading to the decreased sea trials time, DCNS said.

DCNS has so far delivered two FREMM frigates to the French Navy and two for foreign customers -- Morocco and Egypt. It has been contracted to deliver eight of the ships to France, two of them with strengthened anti-aircraft capabilities.

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