FREMM: A master asset on the high seasSubscribers article
Posted on 01/03/2019 by Vincent Groizeleau
The multi-mission frigates are the spearhead of the Navy against the rise of threats. Reportage in the Mediterranean aboard La Provence, on the eve of its operational deployment with the carrier group.
On the instructions of the shift leader, the helmsman maneuvers his joystick. Insensibly, Provence is positioned a thousand meters from Charles de Gaulle, in his rear three-quarter. The tall silhouette of the aircraft carrier is part of the canopy of the bridge. Clearly the Rafale ready on their catapults. Abruptly, the reactors scream. Top off. In a few minutes, the mastodon drops a deck of four hunters.
A short distance from the Charles-de-Gaulle, Provence is ready to intervene in the event of a crash Rafale catapult ( MERIADEC RAFFRAY)In addition to the Dauphin helicopter which assures since the carrier mission Pedro, in case of crash, the multi-mission frigate (FREMM) would have been diverted to recover the pilot: "We train regularly to this procedure always delicate in open sea, especially in rough weather, "explains Pasha, Captain Julien Duthu. He took command at Toulon this summer. After an early career in the Atlantic, Provence joined Languedoc and Auvergne.
Specialized in anti-submarine warfare but designed to be versatile, FREMMs are in great demand to cope with the growing threats offshore. In Brest, Aquitaine and Brittany operate. In the process of completion, Normandy will join them this year. By 2022, two more units (Alsace and Lorraine) are expected, with increased capabilities in air defense.
A signal sent to belligerentsThe Rafales are heading south in search of "hostile" ships. They are simulated by pawns of the real naval armada that crosses north of Corsica that day. On the horizon, the sun is declining. In the corridors, the red lamps light up, marking the passage to the night. Most of the 108 sailors live confined within the superstructures. On this building of 142 meters displacing 6000 tons, the openings are almost non-existent, stealth obliges. Radar, infrared, acoustic, magnetic: "the footprint" of the FREMM is limited. Its gas turbine gives it the power of acceleration and the speed required to follow the aircraft carrier, while its propulsion in diesel-electric mode guarantees its discretion and autonomy. In case of crisis, it takes less than three days from Toulon to reach the eastern Mediterranean to inform the staff through its sensors. Its only presence is a signal sent to belligerents: it carries 16 cruise missiles capable of striking ground targets at 1000 kilometers. It can also track a Russian submarine from the North Atlantic to Gibraltar for 25 days without a break: "Believe me, when a commander realizes he is constantly being followed, the pressure changes sides," smiles on Commander of Provence.
Trailed Sonar Captas 4 ( SEA AND MARINE - VINCENT GROIZELEAU)Americans "incredulous"At the back, a bell rings. It announces the opening of the hatch at the water's edge that masks the building's main asset against the submarines: its sonar Captas 4. Suspended by a mechanical arm extended by a coil containing 2 kilometers of cable, this condensed miniaturized technology has been developed by Thales. Towed at varying depths depending on the conditions of temperature, pressure and salinity of the water, the module painted in yellow produces miracles. "Incredulous, our American partners demanded to check our parameters," says Lieutenant-Commander Pauline, an officer in charge of anti-submarine warfare. At Central Operations, four screens are assigned to this "domain". On one of them, the traces of the mechanical noise picked up by the two sonars of the building are displayed in green, which also has an integrated antenna at its bow. An operator continues to listen to sounds: it is the crossroads of technique and experience that produce the best results. If necessary, the Cayman helicopter parked on the back beach takes off to raise a doubt or refine a contact using its own sensors. Astonishingly stable, the aircraft can fly hours in heavy weather.
Trapped Sonar Captas 4 ( NATIONAL MARINE - LISA BESSODES) The FREMM Provence escorting Charles de Gaulle ( NATIONAL MARINE - YOANN LETOURNEAU)"A bubble around the aircraft carrier"Another screen has a series of circles and dots of color. The pictogram materializes the tactical situation under water for the whole carrier group. Its update is the priority of Commander Duthu: "I best articulate all the sensors in the fleet to ensure a bubble around the aircraft carrier. I even use the eyes of lookouts on the bridge: statistically, their chances of locating a periscope are significant. In this war of attrition and wills, the FREMM imposed a new standard. Today, when we detect a submarine, we keep the initiative for a long time ... ", says the expert.
A report by Mériadec Raffray made in February during the FANAL exerciseThe FREMM Languedoc ( NAVAL GROUP)