A steel-cutting ceremony marked the start of construction for France's new frigate at Naval Group's Lorient, France, shipyard.

The shipyard ceremony Thursday was led by French Defense Minister Florence Parly, and guests included Adm. Nicolaos Tsunis of the Greek Navy, the company said in a press release.

Envoys of Poland and New Zealand also attended the event, an indication that their countries may be future customers.

The first-in-class 393-foot vessel is known internally as an Admiral Ronarc'h-class FDI, or defense and intervention, frigate, and will be exported to customers under the name Belharra. The Greek navy ordered two ships last week.

The diesel-powered ship can sail 5,000 nautical miles without refueling and can stay at sea for up to 45 days. Its weapons include torpedoes, missiles and a 20mm cannon, and the ship's aft deck can accommodate a helicopter. The ship is designed to counter traditional threats from other ships, from aircraft and from submarines, as well as cyber and asymmetrical threats.

Five have been ordered by the French Navy, with the first two expected to be delivered by 2023.

"This program will increase to 15 the number of first-rank frigates of the French Navy, as planned in the French military spending plan," noted Sylvain Perrier, Naval Group project director.

LCS Indianapolis to be commissioned on Saturday
Washington (UPI) Oct 25, 2019 - The U.S. Navy's newest littoral combat ship, the LCS Indianapolis, will be commissioned on Saturday in a ceremony at Burns Harbor, Ind.

The ceremony on Saturday, at the Lake Michigan port of Burns Harbor, will include an address by Lisa W. Herschman, Defense Department deputy chief management officer, the Navy announced this week.

The new LCS will be the fourth Navy vessel to carry the name. In 1945, the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis, the second ship with the name, was sunk by a torpedo while returning from a Pacific Ocean mission that included delivery of key components of the atomic bomb used in Hiroshima, Japan. Only 317 of the 1,200 crewmen aboard the ship survived.

The Freedom-variant ship is designed for assault transport, with a flight deck and hangar to accommodate two SH-60 or MH-60 Seahawk helicopters, a ramp for operating small boats, and the cargo volume and payload to deliver a small assault force with fighting vehicles to a roll-on/roll-off port facility.

Its armaments include Mk 110 57 mm guns and RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles, as well as autonomous air, surface, and underwater vehicles. LCS ships can maneuver in shallow water and specialize in mine countermeasures and anti-submarine warfare.

The LCS Indianapolis was built in Marinete, Wis., by Lockheed Martin and will be based in Jacksonville, Fla. The Navy has 17 littoral combat ships in use, with 17 more planned or under construction.

Related Links
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Washington DC (UPI) Oct 24, 2019
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