ENS Tahya Misr - FREMM multi-mission frigate

On Monday 16 February 2015, DCNS signed a contract with the Ministry of Defence of the Arab Republic of Egypt for the supply of a FREMM (Frégate Européenne Multi-Missions) multi-mission frigate. This agreement strengthens the strategic relations initiated by DCNS in July 2014 with the signing of a contract to supply four Gowind® 2500 corvettes. The frigate, the current Normandie, was to be delivered mid-2015 after some outfitting work, and the first phase of the training program. Hervé Guillou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of DCNS, declared: “I would like to thank the Egyptian authorities for the trust they have once again placed in us, for the participation in the modernization of their defence system. DCNS will be keen to demonstrate that this trust is justified. The Group will do its utmost to ensure that this program is completed successfully.”

The logistics and support services provided to the Egyptian Navy would then continue over several years. The FREMM delivered to the Egyptian Navy will be taken from the series currently under construction for the French Navy. To ensure that the operational capacities of the French Navy will not be affected, DCNS would speed up the rate of production of subsequent ships.

Since the multimission frigate (FREMM) Normandie headed to Egypt as part of arms contracts that was officially signed on 16 February 2015 by the Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and the French defense minister, Jean -Yves Le Drian, the French Navy was forced to revise its plans. The time that these vessels are brought into service, missions and continue the operational contract should be honored. Where deferral of removal from active duty (RSA) of two anti-submarine frigates (MDTF), namely the Montcalm and Jean de Vienne. These ships, which date from the early 1980s, will remain operational until 2017 and 2018 respectively. Fortunately it was decided to review the pace of job cuts in the armed frigates. Montcalm and Jean de Vienne, F-70, are actually implemented by crews of 244 sailors while only 108 personnel are needed on board a FREMM.

On 23 June 2015, a ceremony took place to transfer the FREMM Tahya Misr to the Egyptian flag, a major step for the continuation of the crew training and seal trials. The ceremony took place in presence of General Sedki Sobhy, the Ministry of Defense of the Arab Republic of Egypt, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Ministry of Defense, Admiral Osama Rabie, Commander in Chief of the Egyptian Navy, Admiral Bernard Rogel, the French Chief of Navyand Hervé Guillou, Chairman & CEO of DCNS. This important event marked the transfer of ownership of the FREMM from DCNS to the Egyptian Navy. The ship initially retained its pennant number, with reports suggesting it would be re-named Al-Cairo. The Egyptian navy's new FREMM frigate, which is named Tahya Misr (Long Live Egypt), sailed from DCNS’ shipyard in Brest, France, for Alexandria on 22 July 2015.

As part of the renewal of the surface-ship fleet of the country, DCNS has sealed strategic relations with Egypt. The sale of the FREMM Tahya Misr in February 2015 and the four GOWIND® 2500 corvettes in July 2014 bears witness to the confidence placed in the Group. In the specific case of the FREMM, thanks to the tireless support of the highest French authorities, DCNS was able to supply a global offer meeting the needs of the Egyptian Navy and to respect the very short deadlines for adapting the frigate.

“A year ago, DCNS wrote the first lines of a strategic partnership bringing together the Group and the Egyptian Navy. Today, this privileged tie has taken on a new dimension. This event constitutes an important step in the crew taking on the FREMM”, stated Hervé Guillou, Chairman & CEO of DCNS. “The supply of this latest-generation frigate comes on top of the contract for four GOWIND® 2500 corvettes signed in 2014. We are very proud to supply the Egyptian Navy with high-tech ships which will contribute towards the renewal of their surface-ship fleet” he added.

The new frigate featured at the inauguration of the new Suez Canal on 06 August 2015. The New Suez Canal inauguration ceremony started on 06 August 2015. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi arrived at the venue where El Mahrousa Yacht was docked to herald the start of the inauguration ceremony of the New Suez Canal. The Egyptian Air Force held an air show featuring Rafale and F16 combat jets. President Sisi saluted the masses who lined up on the bank of the canal. The president chatted with Suez Canal Authority Chairman Mohab Mamish and Commander of the Egyptian Navy Admiral Ossama Rabie on board El Mahrousa Yacht. President Sisi was seen with a child standing next to him wearing a military uniform and holding the Egyptian flag. The president hugged the child and stood beside him. The French FREMM frigate is accompanying El Mahrousa, the presidential yacht, on its journey to the ceremony site.

Egyptian and French air and navy forces started on 06 March 2016 the joint training session "Ramses 2016," which is being hosted by Egypt for several days in the coastal city of Alexandria. The joint exercises came in the framework of military cooperation between the two countries. Many French and Egyptian naval ships - including the new FREMM frigate named Tahya Misr (“Long Live Egypt”) that Egypt recently received from France - participated in the military exercises. Various military aircraft from both countries are participating in Ramses 2016, including Rafale fighters, F-16s, and other fighters.

The Italian fleet will be left without two frigates of the FREMM type. On 14 June 2020, navyrecognition.com announced that the Italian Ministry of Defense has approved the sale of two FREMM-type ships built for the Italian Navy to Egypt. The ships Spartaco Schergat and Emilio Bianchi, launched in January 2019 and January 2020, are the final in the ten frigates of the FREMM type, planned for construction for the Italian Navy. It is estimated that the transaction value will be € 1.2 billion. The Egyptian Navy already includes one frigate of the FREMM type, called Tahya Misr. It was obtained according to a similar scheme when the ship built for the Italian Navy was sold at the final stage of construction.