FMM multipurpose frigate

The X650 Aventurier as it was commissioned in 1996
Class overview
Builders:	Arsenal de Morienval-Nampont Arsenal de Villaroche Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Riuniti
Operators:	Sieuxerr Sylva
Preceded by:	T 47-class (Sieuxerr) Vercingétorix-class (Sieuxerr) Charlemagne-class (Sieuxerr) Tourville-class (Sieuxerr) Durand de la Penne-class (Sylva) Audace-class (Sylva) Maestrale-class (Sylva) Lupo-class (Sylva) Other ships used by other nations
Built:	1993–present
In commission:	1996–present
Planned:	12 (Sieuxerr) 8 (Sylva) 20+ (Total)
On order:	20+
General characteristics
Type:	Frigate
Displacement:	5,200 tonnes
Length:	133.5 m (438 ft) LOA 124.2 m (407 ft) LPP
Beam:	17.5 m (57 ft)
Draft:	4.8 m (16 ft)
Propulsion:	30,000 kW
Speed:	28 knots
Range:	5,000 nm @ 19 knots
Complement:	210
Sensors and processing systems:	Optronics: 1 × Sagem Vampir MB infra-red search and track system Radars: 1 × DRBV-26D wide air search radar 1 × CAMPAR search radar 2 × RTN-25X fire control radars 2 × Navigation and helicopter radars Sonars: 1 × DUBV-54C hull sonar 1 × DSBV-62C towed sonar Communications: Satellite links: Inmarsat, SYRACUSE
Armament:	Guns: 1 × Canon de 76 mm Modèle 1964 CADAM 2 × 25mm Testudo CIWS 2 × Model F2 20mm autocannons 4 × AA-82 12.7mm machine guns Missiles: 4 × 8 cell SYLVER A-50 VLS 32-128 mix of: COFFIN SR (Quad Packed) COFFIN MR (Quad Packed) COFFIN ER 2 × 8 cell SYLVER A-43 VLS 64 mix of: COFFIN SR (Quad Packed) COFFIN MR (Quad Packed) 2 × 4 MM.40 Block III Exocet OR MM.90 Block II launchers 2 × 6 cell Sadral launchers (30 missiles) Torpedoes: 2 × 2-tube 533mm torpedo launcher for MU90 or L5 w/ 10 torpedoes
Aircraft carried:	2 × NH90

The FMM ("Frigate Multi-Mission"; Merovingian: Frégate multi-mission; Sylvan: Fregata multi-missione) is a class of multi-mission frigates designed in the late-1980s and built throughout the 1990s and into the 2000s. The ships were designed with industry support by the AVA Committee on Frigate Replacement known as AVAC-FR. The ships were designed to give AVA states a single platform multi-purpose frigate to replace "medium range" air-defense warships like the Durand de la Penne-class used by the Sylvan Navy and the ''Vercingétorix''-class used by the Sieuxerrian Navy and also primarily ASW warships like the Maestrale-class and ''Charlemagne''-class.

The FMM would spearhead a number of new sensors and weapon systems while also retaining legacy systems to help reduce costs and increase interoperability between allied nations. In the Sieuxerrian Navy it is known as the Aventurier-class and in the Sylvan Navy as the Mamamiapizzapie-class.

Design

Armament

Guns

The ships are equipped with a single Canon de 76 mm Modèle 1964 CADAM gun, cued to the two RTN-25X fire-control radars. An improved variant over the older Model 1964 guns used by the Sylvan Navy, the gun features a rate of fire over 120 rounds per minute with a magazine of 85 rounds. Starting in the mid-2000s to current, new-build ships were equipped with new housings for the 76mm gun, instead of the older 1970s era housing, a new "low-observable" mount was used. In 2011 to 2018 all ships were reequipped with the STRALES system, which was a new 76mm gun with an in-built radar and new guided ammunition. This allows the 76mm gun to act as a dedicated CIWS out to 8km.

Close-In-Protection is provided by two Testudo CIWS mounts. With 2 - 25mm 7-barrel gatlin guns, the Testudo puts out an impressive 10,000 rounds per minute with an effective range of 1,500 meters. Each gun has 2,000 rounds for 4,000 rounds in each mount. Like the 76mm gun, they are cued by the RTN-25X fire-control radars.

There is then two 20mm F2 autocannons with thousands of rounds stored with an effective range of 1,500 meters and a rate of fire of 700+ rounds per minute. After that is the Arme Automatique Modèle 1982 heavy machine guns and are normally used for littoral defense.

There is then a crew armory with machine guns, assault rifles, and also MANPADs.

Missiles

To serve its air defense role, the FMM is equipped with six 8-cell VLS modules. Two of these are the A-43 for the quad-packed COFFIN-SR/MR missiles, allowing for upwards of sixty-four quad-packed missiles. These mostly serve as local air defense with ranges of 30 and 50km respectively. Medium range defense is provided by the COFFIN-ER in the A-50 cells, which make up the rest of the four 8-cell modules. This allows for a max of thirty-two missiles to be carried. The shorter-ranged missiles can be placed in the A-50 cells, but they detracted from the extended range missiles. The extended range missiles achieve a range of 180km.

Secondary air defense system is comprised of two Sadral launchers. The Sadral launcher uses the Mistral short-range air-defense missile and the missile has an effective range of upto 6km. The missile is highly maneuverable and capable. The launcher itself has a TV camera and a FLIR sensor.

Lastly, the ship is equipped with 2 4-cell anti-shipping missile launchers. These two 4-cell launchers use either the MM.40 subsonic missile or the MM.80 supersonic missile.

Torpedoes

The ship is equipped with two sets of two fixed tubes for torpedoes. The system was designed for use with the L5 533mm and can use the smaller MTU-90 torpedoes. The two sets of tubes share a 10-round magazine. The L5 is an older series of torpedo with its latest variants having entered service in the late-1970s, the MU90 however was a newly-designed torpedo that went into service in 1993.

Sensors

Radars

The ships are equipped with a legacy DRBV-26D Jupiter ER for wide-area search. The Jupiter ER has a max range of 333km and a minimum range of 20km. Its multi-function radar is the CAMPAR which the FMM would be the first ship to use the radar. The CAMPAR system has a max range of 150km with a minimum range of less than 200 meters from the ship. The CAMPAR targets and provides uplink information assistance to the COFFIN air-defense missile. It can track upwards of 300 targets.

There are also two helicopter and navigation search radars and also fire control radars.

List of vessels

Ship name	Hull no.	Builder	Commission– decommission	Fate
Sieuxerr-built
Aventurier	X650	building place, city, nation	1996–	In active service
Joueur	X651	building place, city, nation	1997–	In active service
Mercenaire	X652	building place, city, nation	1999–	In active service
Fanfaron	X653	building place, city, nation	1999–	In active service
Voyageur	X654	building place, city, nation	2000–	In active service
Explorateur	X655	building place, city, nation	2000–	In active service
Opportuniste	X656	building place, city, nation	2002–	In active service
Pionnier	X657	building place, city, nation	2002–	In active service
Eclaireur	X658	building place, city, nation	2004–	In active service
Pèlerin	X659	building place, city, nation	2006–	In active service
Chercheur	X660	building place, city, nation	2008–	In active service
Héros	X661	building place, city, nation	2010–	In active service
Sylva-built
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service
Foreign-built
aaa	111	building place, city, nation	XXXX–	In active service