FrigateVendémiaire of the French Navy
Class overview
Name	Floréal class
Builders	Chantiers de l'Atlantique,Saint-Nazaire
Operators	French Navy  Royal Moroccan Navy
Preceded by	D'Estienne d'Orves class
Succeeded by	La Fayette class;European Patrol Corvette (planned from c. 2034)[1]
In commission	1992–present
Completed	6 (France) 2 (Morocco)
Active	6 (France) 2 (Morocco)
General characteristics of French frigates
Type	Frigate
Displacement	2,642 t (2,600long tons) 3,000 t (2,950 long tons) full load
Length	93.5 m (306 ft 9 in)
Beam	14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Draught	4.3 m (14 ft 1 in)
Propulsion	4 × SEMT Pielstick 6 PA6 L280 BPCdiesel engines 6,580 kW (8,820 hp) 2 shafts, 1 × 203 kW (272 hp)bow thruster
Speed	20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range	9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Troops	24 marines
Complement	90
Sensors & processing systems	DRBV-21C (Mars) air sentry radar Racal Decca RM1290 navigation radar Racal Decca RM1290 landing radar
Electronic warfare & decoys	ARBG-1A Saïgon 2 Dagaie decoy systems
Armament	2Exocet MM38 missiles (originally fitted; now removed) 1 ×100 mm CADAM turret with Najir fire control system 2 ×20 mm modèle F2 guns 2 x 2 Manually-operatedSIMBAD/Mistral point defence SAM[2]
Aircraft carried	1Panther helicopter orDauphin N3 (the latter replaced formerAérospatiale Alouette III on some ships in 2022).
Aviation facilities	Flight deck andhangar

TheFloréal class is a type of light "surveillancefrigates" (French:frégate de surveillance) designed for the needs of theFrench Navy in low-threat environments ordered in 1989. The ships are named after months of theRepublican Calendar. They use construction standards of commercial ships. The frigates were built between 1990 and 1993 by theChantiers de l'Atlantique atSaint-Nazaire, France. The six French ships of the class,Floréal,Prairial,Nivôse,Ventôse,Vendémiaire andGerminal, remain in active service.

The ships' main armament was twoExocet MM38surface-to-surface missiles and a100 mm (4 in) CADAM turret, but in 2014, the Exocets were removed at the end of their life cycle. The vessels have a maximum speed of 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and can carry 24 marines. The vessels are used mainly to patrol theFrench overseas departments and regions in the Pacific, Indian Ocean andCaribbean regions, but have served in both military and humanitarian operations in thePersian Gulf and theGulf of Guinea.

Two more ships were ordered by theRoyal Moroccan Navy in July 1999. Constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in 2001–2002, they resemble the French vessels with minor changes. Their main armament are the two Exocet missiles and aOtobreda 76 mm (3 in) gun. The two frigates,Mohammed V andHassan II, entered service in 2002–2003 and are used primarily for training and patrol.

TheFloréal class evolved out of a need to produce a cheaper frigate for patrol in the low-threat environments of France's territorial waters andexclusive economic zone. Thehull andsuperstructure are made of weldedsteel with transversebulkheads.^[3] Frigates of theFloréal class have astandard displacement of 2,642tonnes (2,600long tons) and 3,000 tonnes (2,950 long tons) at full load. The frigates measure 85.2 metres (279 ft 6 in)long between perpendiculars and 93.5 metres (306 ft 9 in)overall with abeam of 14 metres (45 ft 11 in) and adraught of 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in).^[4][5] Due to the frigates' broad beams, they are equipped withfin stabilisers.^[6]

The frigates are powered by acombined diesel and diesel (CODAD) system comprising fourSEMT Pielstick 6 PA6 L280 BPCdiesel engines driving two shafts each turning a LIPScontrollable pitch propeller. The CODAD system is rated at 6,580kilowatts (8,820 hp) The vessels are also equipped with one 203-kilowatt (272 hp)bow thruster. They also have twin rudders. Due to the mercantile construction design, the four diesels are all located within one machinery room for ease of maintenance. Bothdiesel fuel and TR5aviation fuel is brought aboard at a single location at the stern compared to naval-constructed vessels which sport two. The ships also have three 750 kW (1,010 hp) diesel-electric generators located just fore and aft of the machinery room.^[6][7] TheFloréal-class frigates have a maximum speed of 20knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and a range of 9,000nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).^[4]

The class was initially only to be armed with the weaponry that would be required for the patrol mission, but this was later increased.^[6] The frigates were armed with twoExocet MM38surface-to-surface missiles in launchers situated centrally atop the midships superstructure. Each missile had a range of 42 kilometres (26 mi), carried a 165 kg (364 lb) warhead and could reach speeds up to Mach 0.9.^[4] However, at the end of the missile's life cycle in 2014, the launchers were removed as the French Navy did not intend to replace the capability aboard the ships.^[8] The ships mount one100 mm CADAM turret with the Najir fire control system located forwards. The 100 mm (4 in) gun can fire 78 rounds per minute, each round weighing 13.5 kg (30 lb) up to a range of 17 kilometres (11 mi). The frigates are also equipped with two20 mm modèle F2 guns situated in atop the aft superstructure which can fire 720 rounds per minute up to 10 kilometres (6.2 mi). The frigates are equipped with DRBV-21C (Mars) air sentry, Racal Decca RM1290 navigation and Racal Decca RM1290 landingradars along with ARBG-1A Saïgon communications intercept, CSF ARBR 16A radar intercept electronic surveillance systems and two Dagaie decoy systems.^[4]

Ships of theFloréal class mount a 30-by-15-metre (98 by 49 ft) helicopterlanding pad located on the stern and a 10-by-15-metre (33 by 49 ft)hangar.^[4][9] The frigates are capable of operating the embarkedEurocopter AS565 Panther up tosea state 5,^[4][6] and are capable of operating helicopters up to the size of theEurocopter AS332 Super Puma. However, as late as 2021,Aérospatiale Alouette III helicopters were also being embarked, notably in the Pacific region.^[10][11] In 2022, theEurocopter Dauphin N3 was earmarked to replace the Aérospatiale Alouette III aboard some ships when the Alouette IIIs were withdrawn from service.^[12][13] The vessels have a complement of 90 including the aircrew and officers and 24 marines with capacity for a further 13 personnel.^[4] The ships are equipped with improved medical facilities including a consultation room and hospital beds for use during humanitarian missions.^[6]

The first two ships were ordered on 20 January 1989, the second pair on 9 January 1990 and the final two in January 1991. The ships are named after months of theRepublican Calendar.^[4] The ships were built byChantiers de l'Atlantique atSaint-Nazaire, France. They were built using civilian construction methods as a cost saving measure. The reduction in cost allowed the French Navy to build three for the price of oneLa Fayette-class frigate. This method was also used for the laterLa Fayette class. Followingsea trials, the vessels were sent toArsenal de Lorient atLorient to have their weapons installed.^[3]

TheFloréal-class frigates main purpose for the French Navy is to patrol and support French forces in theFrench overseas departments and regions. The vessels can also be used for humanitarian missions, ship escort and special missions.^[14]Floréal andNivôse are based atRéunion,Vendémiaire atNouméa,Prairial atTahiti andVentôse andGerminal atMartinique.^[4][15] The frigates have served in military operations as part of the Australian-ledINTERFET,^[16] inOperation Enduring Freedom in thePersian Gulf^[17] and inOperation Atalanta off the coast of Somalia.^[18] They have served in hurricane relief forces,^[19] and recovery operations for crashed aircraft.^[20]

It is anticipated that the class will be replaced in French service in the mid-to-latter 2030s with the plannedEuropean Patrol Corvette. In 2025 it was reported that the ships would have to be retained in service for several more years beyond the retirement dates that had been originally planned for the early 2030s.^[21][22]

TheRoyal Moroccan Navy operates twoFloréal-class frigates,Mohammed V andHassan II. The two frigates are named after the late KingsMohammed V andHassan II. They were acquired with three Panther helicopters in July 1999. The Moroccan frigates of the class are similar to those in French service with a few changes. The frigates are powered by a CODAD system comprising the same four SEMT Pielstick 6 PA6 L280 BPC diesel engines driving two shafts each turning a LIPS controllable pitch propeller. The CODAD system is rated at 7,200 kilowatts (9,600 hp) The vessels are also equipped with one 250-kilowatt (340 hp) bow thruster. Other differences include oneOtobreda 76 mm (3 in) gun turret with Najir fire control system located forwards instead of the French 100 mm gun. The frigates are capable of being armed with two 20 mm modèle F2 guns situated in atop the aft superstructure, but did not come with the weapons installed. In place of the 20 mm (0.8 in) guns, the MoroccanFloréal-class frigates can be fitted with twin launchers forSimbadsurface-to-air missiles. The Moroccan frigates are equipped with two Decca Bridgemaster radars, one for use as navigational radar, the other for helicopter control, and Thomsen-CSF ARBR 17 radar intercept electronic surveillance system.^[23]

STX France revealed a modernized variant of theFloréal class that it offered to thePhilippine Navy in 2014.^[24][25]

• List of naval ship classes in service
• Nordkapp-class offshore patrol vessel

• Jordan, John (1995). "France". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.).Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 95–131.ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Massicot, Jean (2010).Navires de guerre et marine française (in French). Toulon, France: Desnoel.ISBN 978-1-4461-4597-5.
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009).Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc.ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6.

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• Floréal Class Frigate, France
• Forecast International: Floreal Class

• Frigate classes
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• Frigates of France
• Frigates of Morocco
• Ship classes of the French Navy

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