Naval Historywith Dr. Alex

Q&A · 29:34-30:10

FREMM offered the US Navy a low-risk frigate starting point

Buying a proven FREMM derivative offered an immediate frigate solution, though later US orders might have shifted to another design.

Fremm FrigatesFrigatesNaval ProcurementType 26 FrigateUS Navy
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Question

What do you think of the US Navy choosing a FREMM-based frigate?

Short answer

It was a sensible proven design for an initial batch, though the longer-term programme might still have changed direction.

Notes

FREMM was a practical off-the-shelf choice for the US Navy's first batch of new frigates. Its established hull reduced the uncertainty of starting with a clean-sheet design. A 2020 forecast suggested that the Navy might stop after the initial ten ships and later consider the Type 26 family. That possibility was a contemporary prediction, not a confirmed procurement outcome.