LORIENT, France, July 11 (UPI) -- French shipbuilder DCNS has completed a third series of sea trials on a FREMM frigate for the Royal Moroccan Navy.
The trials were to check the performance of the ship's combat systems and were performed off the coast of Brittany.
"This third series of sea trials represents a major milestone for the overall program and more particularly for the ship's combat system," said Gilles Raybaud, DCNS's FREMM program manager for Morocco. "Our crews thoroughly tested the full suite of combat system hardware and software that makes FREMM frigates among the most versatile and advanced on the world market."
DCNS said specific tests included target engagement sequences using Aster anti-air missiles and MM40 anti-ship missiles, fire control tests for the 76-mm main gun and testing of the frigate's multi-function radar.
Other tests involved helicopter approach control and the deployment of various towed devices.
Initial sea trials on the ship – the future Mohamed VI – took place in April, during which the frigate's propulsion and navigation systems were evaluated.
DCNS is building a total of 12 FREMM frigates. Eleven are for the French Navy.
FREMM frigates have a maximum speed of 27 knots and a range of 6,000 nautical miles at 15 knots.
