French Navy successfully fires MdCN naval cruise missile from FREMM frigate Bretagne

According to a tweet published by the French Government Defence procurement agency (DGA) on November 13, 2020, on November 10, 2020, the European multi-mission frigate (FREMM) Bretagne from the French Navy successfully carried out a naval cruise missile (MdCN) training fire.


According to a tweet published by the French Government Defence procurement agency (DGA) on November 13, 2020, on November 10, 2020, the European multi-mission frigate (FREMM) Bretagne from the French Navy successfully carried out a naval cruise missile (MdCN) training fire.
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Russian Vyborg Shipyard laid the Purga ice class coastguard ship of project 23550 925 001 French Navy has conducted a firing test of a naval cruise missile from the FREMM frigate Bretagne. (Picture source DGA)


On November 10, the multi-mission frigate (FREMM) Bretagne fired a naval cruise missile against a target located on the site of the DGA Missile Testing Center in Biscarrosse, with the DGA's measurement and backup means allowing the achievement of a mission representative of reality.

The MdCN (missile de croisière naval - Naval cruise missile) enables the French Navy to conduct operations ashore with a strike capability from the open sea and the depths of the seas thanks to multi-mission frigates and Suffren-class submarines. The MdCN is a cruise missile developed by MBDA that can be launched from a frigate using a vertical launcher or torpedo tubes. It has a weight of approximately 1,400 kg. It has an overall length of 6.50 m, and a diameter of 0.5 m. The missile has a range of more than 250 km.

The MdCN enables the French Navy to conduct operations ashore with a strike capability from the open sea and the depths of the seas thanks to multi-mission frigates and Suffren-class submarines.

The FREMM ("European multi-purpose frigate"; French: Frégate européenne multi-mission; Italian: Fregata europea multi-missione) is a class of multi-purpose frigates designed by Naval Group and Fincantieri for the navies of France and Italy. The lead ship of the class, Aquitaine, was commissioned in November 2012 by the French Navy. In France the class is known as the Aquitaine class, while in Italy they are known as the Bergamini class. Italy has ordered six general-purpose variants and four anti-submarine variants. France has ordered six anti-submarine variants and two air-defense variants. The US Navy selected the class as the basis for the Constellation-class frigate, and Fincantieri was given a $795 million contract for the lead ship.

The Bretagne is an Aquitaine-class frigate in service with the French Navy. Which in turn were developed by the FREMM multipurpose frigate program. The French Bretagne frigate was launched in September 2016.

The Bretagne frigate is armed with four FREMM-ASW with 16-cell MBDA SYLVER A43 VLS for 16 MBDA Aster 15 missiles, one Leonardo OTO Melara 76 mm SR naval gun, three Nexter 20mm Narwhal remote weapon systems, eight MBDA MM-40 Exocet block 3 anti-ship missiles, 16-cell MBDA SYLVER A70 VLS for 16 MBDA MdCN naval land-attack cruise missiles and two double Leonardo (WASS) B-515 launcher for MU 90 torpedoes. 

The Bretagne frigate is powered by a combined diesel and gas propulsion system including an MTU Series 4000 engine. She can reach a maximum speed of 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph) with a cruising range of 6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). The ship has a crew of 145 sailors. The frigate has an aft helicopter hangar and deck of approximately 520m².