Franco-Italian Horizon Program: Launch of the First French Frigate
(Source: DCN; issued March 10, 2005)
LORIENT, France --- An official ceremony was held today at the DCN shipyards in Lorient to mark the launching of the Forbin, the first Horizon class French frigate. This industrial operation marks an important milestone for the cooperative Franco-Italian naval program.
DGA and NAVARM, the two procurement agencies for the Horizon program, have awarded the overall project management for this cooperative program to HORIZON SAS, a joint subsidiary of Armaris (a DCN/Thales joint venture) and Orizzonte Sistemi Navali (a Fincantieri/Finmeccanica joint venture).
The anti-air frigates were designed to control the airspace over the battle zone to support military operations, provide command for air defense, or directly protect special units. Their missions could include anti-air cover for an aero-naval convoy, or for a group of vessels unequipped for attack and defense. They could also be used to intervene in the aero-maritime theater of action, or participate in public service civil operations. Horizon frigates will be equipped with the main PAAMS anti-air missile system, developed by France, Italy and Great Britain.
Horizon SAS, the prime contactor for this Franco-Italian program awarded DCN, in France, and Fincantieri, in Italy, responsibility for the design and construction of the warships. Prime contracting for the combat system was entrusted to EUROSYSNAV, a joint venture of Armaris/Finmeccanica, which draws its industrial capacities from DCN, Finmeccanica and Thales.
The Horizon contract includes the development and construction of four state-of-the-art anti-air frigates, as well as their associated logistics:
-- Two French frigates, Forbin and Chevalier Paul, to replace the Suffren and Duquesne frigates;
-- Two Italian frigates to replace the Ardito and Audace frigates
The planning schedule signed in October 2000 by the French and Italian governments and HORIZON SAS is right on time:
--8 April 2002: “first cut” ceremony for the first French frigate
--19 July 2002: “first cut” ceremony for the first Italian frigate
--19 September 2003: “first cut” ceremony for the second Italian frigate
--1st December 2003: “first cut” ceremony for the second French frigate
--10 March 2005: launching of the first French frigate
--Summer 2005: launching of the first Italian frigate
--End of 2006: delivery of the first French frigate
--Mid-2007: delivery of the first Italian frigate
--Spring 2008: delivery of the second French frigate
--Beginning of 2009: delivery of the second Italian frigate
This program underscores the close cooperation between the French and Italian naval industries. Together, these two countries are developing and building warships which are among the most sophisticated in their fleets. Moreover, a new profile of the European naval industry is emerging: strong industrial cooperation, ranged around the major players.
This cooperative trend was confirmed by the launching of the European Multi-Mission Frigate (FREMM) program by the French and Italian Ministries of Defense in Paris last October. Within this framework, Armaris and its Italian partner, Orizzonte Sistemi Navali, will jointly share prime-contracting responsibilities for the FREMM program.
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