Naval Group, who has been awarded as the main contractor for French Navy’s five intermediate-size frigates (Frégates de taille intermédiaire/FTI), has begun the selection process of suppliers and subcontractors. 

The company was awarded the relevant contract in April 2017 and the first frigate is scheduled to be delivered by 2023. The main suppliers to be selected by the company so far include Axima, Constructions industrielles de la Méditerranée (CNIM), Ixblue, Leonardo, MBDA, MTU, Safran Electronics & Defense and Thales.

Rolls-Royce will be supplying 20 units of MTU 16V 8000 M91L engines; Thales Sea Fire four flat antenna radars; Leonardo 76 mm medium calibre artillery systems; Safran Electronics optronic identification system and MBDA reconfigurable firing intallations for Aster 30 and Exocet missiles.

The 4,000-tonne FTI (Fregate de Taille Intermediaire) medium-size frigates for the French Navy are derived from Naval Group’s Belh@rra export design.