Class profile

La Fayette Class Frigate

France - Guided Missile Frigate

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La Fayette Class Frigate
FS La Fayette - La Fayette Class

Class facts

Country

France

Type

Guided Missile Frigate

Length

125 m

Displacement

3700 t

Speed

25 kn

Public ships

5

Public description

The La Fayette class was designed as a stealthy light frigate for overseas presence, crisis response and maritime-security missions, with enough anti-surface missile capability for a credible combatant profile. French modernisation work has kept part of the class relevant by improving sensors and adding a more useful ASW/self-defence baseline, but it remains below the Horizon, FREMM and FDI classes for high-end warfare.

Public ships in class

Equipment summary

Weapon

MM40 Exocet

Crotale Naval

removed

100 mm CADAM naval gun

1 mounts

Sensor

Kingklip

1 mounts | optional

Aircraft

Panther helicopter

optional