French Navy Air Defense FREMM launching Aster missiles against the ballistic missiles. EMA.

EUNAVFOR ASPIDES is an EU military operation in the Red Sea, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf. The operation was launched a month ago and its objective is to restore and safeguard freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Gulf.

The operation announced today on social media X (formerly known as Twitter): “On March 21, an EUNAVFOR ASPIDES French ship while providing close protection to merchant shipping in South Red Sea, intercepted and destroyed 3 ballistic missiles posing a direct threat to the FoN.“

The French ministry of the armed forces issued the following press release:

On the morning of March 21, 2024, as part of the European operation ASPIDES, a French frigate operating in the south of the Red Sea detected three ballistic missiles coming from Yemen and targeting its position and that of the container ships that it she accompanied. The frigate, reacting in self-defense, engaged and destroyed the missiles.

Alongside their allies, the French armies contribute to maritime security and participate in the defense of freedom of navigation, particularly from the Suez Canal to the Strait of Hormuz, the objective of the EUNAVFOR ASPIDES operation launched by the European Union. on February 19.

Naval News believes the helicopter involved in this rare interception was an AS565 Panther flying from Air Defense FREMM frigate Alsace (D656). Alsace has been deployed to the Red Sea region since 21 January 2024.  Only days ago a Panther helicopter attached to the same vessel shot down an uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV). Alsace is currently under the operational command of Rear Admiral Slaars, French Joint Forces Commander in the Indian Ocean (ALINDIEN) and Commander of the French Forces stationed in the UAE (FFEAU).

A first on many levels

Based on the released image of the engagement, a salvo of three missiles were fired by Alsace. The interception of three ballistic missiles is a complex task and shows the high level of training and professionalism of the crew, as well as the quality of the sensors and weapons systems fitted on the FREMM. Aster 30 long range surface to air missiles were likely used for the interception, with the targets tracked by the Herakles multifunction radar.

The interception of ballistic missiles in an operational context marks a first for the French Navy. The event also marks the first “kill” of a ballistic missile by an MBDA Aster family missile in combat. The capability was demonstrated in live condition back in December 2011, when an Aster 30 missile fired from a French Horizon type Air Defense Destroyer downed an Israeli Black Sparrow ballistic missile target (launched from an Israeli Air Force F-15 jet), but this was in a controlled, testing environment… [Erratum: This 2011 test actually involved land-based SAMP/T system with Aster 30, not a navy destroyer]

About Air Defense FREMMs

French Air Defense FREMM frigates Alsace and Lorraine in Toulon in August 2023. Hervé Dermoune picture.
The FREMM DA Alsace  was launched April 18, 2019 at the Naval Group shipyard of Lorient thirteen months after its keel laying. It was commissioned with the French Navy in November 202. It is the ninth FREMM frigate built by Naval Group and the seventh one for the French Navy. The FREMM DA program started in 2008. The two vessels in this “sub-class” of the Aquitaine-class FREMM, Alsace and Lorraine, are replacing the two Cassard-class (Type F70 AA) frigates and their ageing SM-1 surface to air missiles.

While the FREMM DA retains the same anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities as earlier vessels of the Aquitaine-class (with CAPTAS-4 and UMS 4110 CL sonars), its so called “increased capabilities in air defense” consists in a few notable changes:

The Thales Herakles multi-function radar is more powerful, has more transmitter modules, additional wave-forms and search modes for long range air defense
A Thales STIR EO MK 2 fire control radar replaces the Najir by Sagem (providing better AAW and ASuW capabilities to the 76mm main gun)
Reinforced bridge structure to accommodate the extra weight of the above
4x Sylver A50 vertical launch systems for a total of 32x MBDA Aster 15 or 30 surface to air missiles
Additional communication systems and antennas
3x additional consoles in the CIC (the global arrangement inside the CIC has been modified accordingly) for a total of 20 aboard the ship
Modifications to the SETIS combat management system with specific air defense functions
Additional berthing
According to the French Navy’s FREMM program manager, the FREMM DA main mission consists in area air defense of major Marine Nationale units such as the Charles de Gaulle aircraft-carrier and the three Mistral-class LHDs, within a carrier-strike group or as part of an amphibious group.