On April 3, 2013, off the U.S. coast, French Navy’s newest frigate FREMM Aquitaine conducted a Replenishment at Sea (RAS) alongside USNS John Lenthall (T-AO-189), a Henry J. Kaiser-class fleet replenishment oiler, and USS Stout (DDG-55) a Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer.
On Monday, 4th February 2013, first of class Aquitaine, the newest class of frigate in the French Navy’s fleet, has successfully fired its first MBDA Aster 15 air defence missile in the Mediterranean from the DGA (French Procurement Agency) Missile test centre. The FREMM is the third type of ship of the French Navy equipped with Aster missiles after the Charles de Gaulle nuclear powered Aircraft Carrier (CVN) and the Forbin class air defense Destroyers (DDG).
Marine Nationale vessels Type F70 AA, Anti-Aircraft Frigate "Cassard" and Nuclear Powered Aircraft Carrier "Charles de Gaulle" are set to receive a radar upgrade in 2013. Their existing radars will be replaced with the Thales SMART-S Mk2 3D multi-beam air and surface radar.
On 23 November, European Joint Armament Cooperation Organization OCCAR* formally signed acceptance documents on behalf of French defence procurement agency DGA following the delivery of FREMM frigate Aquitaine in compliance with all contractual requirements. Aquitaine is the first FREMM multimission frigate for the French Navy. This major technological and industrial achievement is the result of a design and construction process conducted under DCNS programme prime contractorship and in close collaboration with the Navy, the DGA and OCCAR every step of the way.
After five years of construction led in Lorient by DCNS contractors and partners, the multi-mission frigate FREMM Aquitaine (head of class) sailed Tuesday 6 November to join Brest French naval base, her future home port. Final testing of the ship's systems will continue until the end of 2012.
"Corsican Lion" is a Franco-British amphibious exercise in the Mediterranean starting October 18 and ending October 26, 2012. This exercise is an implementation of the Franco-British defense treaty signed November 2, 2010 (Treaty of Lancaster House). It is a large scale naval, aerial and amphibious maneuver involving 5,000 men and 13 warships near the Island of Corsica.
