The FREMM through-life support contract, which came into effect in January 2023, is one of the largest support contracts awarded to Thales by Naval Group since the creation of the French Navy’s Fleet Support Service (SSF). It will guarantee the at-sea availability of the Navy’s eight multi-mission frigates based in Brest and Toulon. Thales will draw on its industrial resources and product expertise to support the warships, ensure the day-to-day availability of their on-board systems and sustain their operational capabilities over the long term.
The FREMM programme was launched in 2005 and is one of the major components of France’s anti-submarine warfare capability. Equipped with Thales sonars, radars, optronics and communication systems, the frigates are widely acclaimed for their operational range, endurance and high performance: the ships and their crews have been endorsed by the US Navy for their anti-submarine warfare capabilities, winning prestigious Hook’em Awards in 2020, 2021 and 2022.
The intensive deployment of warships and their systems puts added pressure on every component of a Naval Force. The operational availability of France’s multi-mission frigates is a key factor in maintaining the country’s naval capabilities and ensuring the freedom of action of the French Armed Forces.
To optimise the use of the French Navy’s resources over the long term, Naval Group and Thales are setting up an integrated centre of expertise drawing on the specialised know-how and capabilities of both companies. To troubleshoot and resolve technical subjects quickly and efficiently, the centre’s dedicated multi-disciplinary team will constantly monitor the technical performance of the Thales equipment and provide a rapid response capability at all times. Thales will ensure proactive component obsolescence management to further enhance the agility of the FREMM technical support teams, analysing system status on a regular basis to identify potential supply chain issues and speed problem resolution by experts from Naval Group and Thales.
“Thales is proud to have this opportunity to build on more than 50 years of experience in the supply of high-tech naval equipment, systems and services by working alongside Naval Group to ensure the operational availability of the French Navy’s FREMM frigates. This contract is a further illustration of the trust placed by the French Navy and Naval Group in Thales's ability to provide locally based, long-term support for the strategic equipment underpinning French naval power,” said Philippe Duhamel, EVP Defence Mission Systems, Thales.
An international player in naval defence and heir to French naval know-how, Naval Group develops innovative solutions to meet the needs of navies. Present throughout the entire life cycle of the ships, the group designs, builds, integrates and maintains submarines and surface ships, as well as their systems and equipment, through to dismantling. It also provides services for shipyards and naval bases.
A high-tech company, Naval Group builds on its exceptional expertise, its unique design and production resources and its ability to set up strategic partnerships and successful transfers of technology. Attentive to the challenges of corporate social responsibility, Naval Group is a member of the United Nations Global Compact.
With operations on five continents, the group has a turnover of 4.3 billion euros and employs 16 029 people (full-time equivalents / 2022 data).
Thales is a global leader in advanced technologies within three domains: Defence & Security, Aeronautics & Space, and Digital Identity & Security. It develops products and solutions that help make the world safer, greener and more inclusive.
The Group invests close to €4 billion a year in Research & Development, particularly in key areas such as quantum technologies, Edge computing, 6G and cybersecurity.
Thales has 77,000 employees in 68 countries. In 2022, the Group generated sales of €17.6 billion.
