France: On Tuesday, 23 June a ceremony took place to transfer the FREMM Tahya Misr to the Egyptian flag, a major step for the continuation of the training of the crew and seal trials. The ceremony took place in presence of General Sedki Sobhy, the Ministry of Defense of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Ministry of Defense, Admiral Osama Rabie, Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Navy, Admiral Bernard Rogel, the French Chief of Navy and Hervé Guillou, Chairman & CEO of DCNS.
This important event marked the transfer of ownership of the FREMM Tahya Misr from DCNS to the Egyptian Navy. As part of the renewal of the surface-ship fleet of the country, DCNS has sealed strategic relations with Egypt. The sale of the FREMM Tahya Misr in February 2015 and the four GOWIND 2500 corvettes in July 2014 bears witness to the confidence placed in the Group.
In the specific case of the FREMM, thanks to the tireless support of the highest French authorities, DCNS was able to supply a global offer meeting the needs of the Egyptian Navy and to respect the very short deadlines for adapting the frigate.
“A year ago, DCNS wrote the first lines of a strategic partnership bringing together the Group and the Egyptian Navy. Today, this privileged tie has taken on a new dimension. This event constitutes an important step in the crew taking on the FREMM”, stated Hervé Guillou, Chairman & CEO of the DCNS Group.
“The supply of this latest-generation frigate comes on top of the contract for four GOWIND 2500 corvettes signed in 2014. We are very proud to supply the Egyptian Navy with high-tech ships which will contribute towards the renewal of their surface-ship fleet,” he added.
Since the signature of the contract on 16 February of this year with the Ministry of Defense of the Arab Republic of Egypt, for the supply of a FREMM multimission frigate, DCNS has carried out the adaptation and outfitting work required for the Egyptian Navy to take on the ship.
Furthermore, from March 2015, DCNS has been training the Egyptian crew. In order to operate such a highly-automated ship safely, DCNS and its partners accompany the crew for a period of 15 months. The program is composed of several phases: theoretical modules, on-land training using platforms and simulators and then onboard training both at the quayside and at sea.
The contract also includes support and through life support services for five years which will be carried out in Egypt by DCNS.
Therefore, DCNS demonstrates its capacity to accompany its customer from training to though life support.
Second international success for the FREMM
The most technologically advanced and most competitive ship on the market, the FREMM meets the operational requirements of numerous navies due to its versatility and its maneuverability.
Capitalising on its unprecedented success in Europe for the firing of the naval cruise missile on board the FREMM Aquitaine on 19 May 2015, DCNS offers its clients ships that are global references in terms of their design and construction as well as for the integration of innovative systems.
In addition, the updating of the Military Planning Law will permit DCNS to continue developing its range of ships and services and to accelerate its international development. With the kick-off of the intermediate-size frigate program, DCNS is going to propose a product which meets the needs of the French Navy and will meet a growing international demand for front-line frigates of approximately 4,000 tons.
Currently, in the surface ship market, DCNS counts among its customers, the Royal Moroccan Navy with the delivery of the Mohammed VI FREMM and the Egyptian Navy with the delivery of the Tahya Misr FREMM and the order of four GOWIND corvettes.
Moreover, DCNS is building six GOWIND corvettes for the Malaysian Navy. These contracts show the success of DCNS products in the international market.
Technical characteristics of the FREMMs
Equipped with high-tech sensors and weapons, integrated with the SETIS combat system developed by DCNS, the frigate can counter all types of threats, whether air, surface, submarine or land-based. The heavily armed FREMM is equipped with the most effective weapons systems and equipment, such as the Herakles multifunction radar, the Aster and Exocet MM 40 missiles, or the MU 90 torpedoes. It is innovative and offers unequalled levels of interoperability and availability.
- Overall length: 142 meters
- Width: 20 meters
- Displacement: 6,000 tonnes
- Max. speed: 27 knots
- Operation: 108 persons (helicopter detachment included)
- Accommodation capacity: 145 men and women
- Cruising range: 6,000 nautical miles at 15 knots
The Group designs, builds and maintains submarines and surface vessels. The Group also proposes services for naval shipyards and bases. The Group reports revenues of €3.1 billion and has a workforce of 13,130 employees (2014 data).
