French frigate Bretagne
{{other ships|French ship Bretagne}}
{{short description|FREMM class multi-purpose frigates in the French Navy}}
| {{Infobox ship begin
}} {{Infobox ship image | Ship image = File:FREMM Bretagne en construction 6789.jpg | Ship caption = Bretagne on 7 January 2017 }} {{Infobox ship career | Hide header = | Ship identification = *{{MMSI Number|226010070}}
| Ship out of service = | Ship renamed = | Ship reclassified = | Ship refit = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship homeport = Brest | Ship motto = | Ship maiden voyage = | Ship nickname = | Ship honours = | Ship honors = | Ship captured = | Ship fate = | Ship status = Active | Ship notes = | Ship in service = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship country = France | Ship yard number = | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|France|naval}} | Ship name = Bretagne | Ship namesake = Bretagne | Ship ordered = | Ship awarded = | Ship builder = DCNS, Lorient | Ship original cost = | Ship way number = | Ship recommissioned = | Ship laid down = October 2013 | Ship launched = 16 September 2016 | Ship sponsor = | Ship christened = | Ship completed = 18 July 2018 | Ship acquired = | Ship commissioned = 20 February 2019 | Ship badge = }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Hide header = | Ship range = {{convert|6000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|lk=in}} | Ship aircraft facilities = Single hangar | Ship aircraft = 1 × NH90 helicopter | Ship armour = | Ship armament =
| Ship EW = | Ship sensors =*Héraklès multi-purpose passive electronically scanned array radar
| Ship complement = 145 | Ship endurance = | Ship speed = {{convert|27|kn|lk=in}}; max cruise speed {{convert|15.6|kn|lk=in}} | Header caption = | Ship propulsion = *MTU Series 4000 (2.2 MW) | Ship power = | Ship draught = {{convert|16|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} | Ship height = | Ship beam = {{convert|65|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} | Ship length = {{convert|466|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} | Ship displacement = 6,000 tons | Ship class = {{sclass|Aquitaine|frigate}} | Ship notes = }} |
Bretagne (D655) is an Aquitaine-class frigate of the French Navy. The Aquitaine class were developed from the European multi-mission frigate (FREMM) program.{{Cite web|title=Aquitaine class FREMM Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale|url=http://www.seaforces.org/marint/French-Navy/Destroyer-Frigate/Aquitaine-FREMM-class.htm|access-date=2020-11-08|website=www.seaforces.org}}
Development and design
Original plans were for 17 FREMM hulls to replace the nine {{sclass|D'Estienne d'Orves|aviso|0}} avisos and nine anti-submarine (ASW) frigates of the {{sclass|Tourville|frigate|5}} and {{sclass|Georges Leygues|frigate|4}}es. In November 2005 France announced a contract of €3.5 billion for development and the first eight hulls, with options for nine more costing €2.95 billion split over two tranches (totaling 17).
Following the cancellation of the third and fourth of the {{sclass2|Horizon|frigate|1}}s in 2005 on budget grounds, requirements for an air-defence derivative of the FREMM called FREDA were placed – with DCNS coming up with several proposals.{{cite news|date=19 September 2007|title=FREMM : Supprimer des frégates, un non sens économique et stratégique?|language=fr|newspaper=Mer et Marine|url=http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/imprimer-article/58043|url-status=live|access-date=23 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518021529/http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/imprimer-article/58043|archive-date=18 May 2013}} Expectations were that the last two ships of the 17 FREMM planned would be built to FREDA specifications; however, by 2008 the plan was revised down to just 11 FREMM (9 ASW variants and 2 FREDA variants) at a cost of €8.75 billion (FY13, ~US$12 billion).{{cite web|date=20 November 2014|title=Projet de loi de finances pour 2015 : Défense : équipement des forces|url=http://www.senat.fr/rap/a14-110-8/a14-110-819.html#toc308|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216190220/http://www.senat.fr/rap/a14-110-8/a14-110-819.html#toc308|archive-date=16 December 2014|accessdate=2015-02-22|publisher=Senate of France|language=French}} The 11 ships would cost €670 million (~US$760m) each in FY2014, or €860m (~US$980m) including development costs. In 2015, the total number of ASW variants was further reduced to just six units, including Bretagne.
Construction and career
Bretagne was developed as part of a joint Italian-French program known as FREMM, which was implemented to develop a new class of frigates for use by various European navies. Constructed from 2013 the frigate Bretagne was launched in September 2016 and commissioned in February 2019.
Unlike previous ASW variants of the FREMMs, Bretagne and her sister ship {{ship|French frigate|Normandie||2}} are fitted with SYLVER A50 launch cells (instead of SYLVER A43) able to accommodate larger Aster-30 surface-to-air missiles. This provides both ships with a potentially enhanced area air defence capability, though both vessels still lacked the boosted variant of the Herakles multi-function radar (which was necessary to accommodate the full range of Aster 30) as well as a complementary fire control radar. {{cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/naval-exhibitions/2018/euronaval-2018/6536-french-navy-fitting-aster-30-long-range-sam-on-its-last-two-asw-fremm-frigates.html |title=French Navy Fitting Aster 30 Long Range SAM on its Last Two ASW FREMM Frigates |work=navyrecognition.com |date=2 October 2018 |access-date=23 November 2020}} In June 2023, the frigate was reported to have fired her first Aster-30 missile during a multi-national exercise. Radar information was provided to Bretagne by the frigate Forbin via the Veille de Coopération Navale (VCN) framework, which allows for the exchange radar detection information between ships in real time.{{cite web | url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/defense-aerienne-la-fremm-bretagne-tire-son-premier-aster-30-et-cela-en-mode-vcn | title=Défense aérienne : la FREMM Bretagne tire son premier Aster 30 et cela en mode VCN |website=Mer et Marine |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent | date=22 June 2023}}
In August 2022, Bretagne was despatched to escort the Russian cruiser Marshal Ustinov and the destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov during their transit through the Bay of Biscay following the deployment of the Russian vessels from their Northern Fleet bases on the Kola Peninsula to the Mediterranean.{{cite web | url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-marine-nationale-accompagne-un-groupe-russe-au-large-de-la-bretagne | title=La Marine nationale accompagne un groupe russe au large de la Bretagne | Mer et Marine | date=September 2022 }}
In 2024, the frigate was operating in the Pacific taking part in joint exercises with the Japanese Maritime Self Defense Force and participating in annual RIMPAC exercises with the US Navy and allied navies.{{cite web | url=https://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/actualites/fremm-bretagne-renforce-son-interoperabilite-japon-rimpac-2024 | title=La FREMM Bretagne renforce son interopérabilité avec le Japon avant Rimpac 2024 |website=Marine Nationale | date=3 July 2024}}
References
{{Commons category|D655 Bretagne (ship, 2019)}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Aquitaine class frigate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bretagne, French frigate}}