First sea swim for the defense and intervention frigate Amiral Louzeau, produced by Naval Group

Naval Group will long remember this Tuesday, May 19, 2026. While Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson confirmed from Stockholm the purchase of four defense and intervention frigates (FDI), a contract estimated at around four billion euros, the French industrialist was at the same time carrying out the implementation water in Lorient l’Amiral Louzeausecond of five FDIs ordered to date by the French Navy.

À peine à flot, l’Amiral Louzeau will receive its mast in the coming days, notably equipped with the Sea Fire fixed panel radar from Thales. More commonly called PSIM (Panoramic Sensors and Intelligence Module) by Naval Group, this frame is built in parallel to the hull. An industrial organization which makes it possible to shorten construction times by around five months.

This is also what short delivery time which seduced the Swedes, visibly in a hurry to strengthen their royal navy in the face of its threatening Russian neighbor.

Up to two boats per year

But let’s return to the National Navy. Wearing her head, theAmiral Louzeau should start its sea ​​trials early 2027for delivery to the navy at the end of that same year. Deliveries of the three other FDIs ordered to date for the French Navy will last until 2032.

In addition to the French FDI, the “maternity unit” of frigates in Lorient, capable of producing up to two boats per year, continues the construction of the Greek FDI. After delivery of the HS Kimon in December 2025, the HS Nearchos et Training should be delivered to the Hellenic Navy at the end of 2026. A rather dense workload plan for the Breton Naval Group site even before construction of the Swedish IDF begins.