The first French post-cold-war warship class and the first European Stealth warship: The La Fayette-Class frigates.
Although designed in the 1980s, these ships already were tailored to post cold war requirements. They lacked ASW capability, being primary anti-air and antisurface platforms. They were neither very fast nor very powerful, but apparently a sturdy and well-liked design. Six were originally ordered, but one (F715 Ronarc'h) was cancelled before being laid down. The class ship La Fayette was commissioned in 1996.
From the fourth unit - F713 Jauréguiberry, renamed Aconit before commissioning - a different mast with more advanced ESM was fitted. The new mast was later retrofitted to all units of the class.
By 2015, all had received additional ESM and IR imaging equipment, and four 12,7mm HMGs to deal with asymmetric threats.
In 2017, the second ship, F711 Surcouf, was selected to serve as testbed for the Bluewatcher small ship sonar.
Three units - Courbet, La Fayette and Aconit, in that order - were modernized from 2021 with a Kingclip sonar, an anti-torpedo protection system, new optronic imaging and targeting gear, the latest Mod.3 version of MM40 Exocet, and two SADRAL sextuple SAM launchers in lieu of Crotale. They also were structurally strengthened.
Guépratte and Surcouf are not to be modernized and will likely be retired first. The other three will serve into the 2030s.
Cheers
GD
