Tahya Misr underway on 10 March 2016
History
Egypt
Name
  • Tahya Misr
  • (تحيا مصر)
Namesake
  • Tahya Misr
  • (Long live Egypt)
Ordered16 February 2015
BuilderDCNS, Lorient
Laid down8 October 2008
Launched18 October 2012
Commissioned17 March 2016
RenamedFrom Normandie
HomeportAlexandria
Identification
StatusActive
General characteristics
Class and typeAquitaine-class frigate
Displacement6,000 tons
Length466 ft (142.0 m)
Beam65 ft (19.8 m)
Draught16 ft (4.9 m)
Propulsion
Speed27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph); max cruise speed 15.6 knots (28.9 km/h; 18.0 mph)
Range6,000 nmi (11,000 km; 6,900 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement145
Sensors and
processing systems		Héraklès multi-purpose passive electronically scanned array radar
Armament
Aircraft carried1 × NH90 helicopter
Aviation facilitiesSingle hangar

ENS Tahya Misr (FFG 1001) is a FREMM multipurpose frigate of the Egyptian Navy. Tahya Misr was originally constructed as the Aquitaine-class Normandie before being acquired by Egypt and being renamed.[1]

Development and design

Three original variants of the FREMM were proposed; an anti-submarine variant (ASW) and a general-purpose variant (GP) and a land-attack variant (AVT) to replace the existing classes of frigates within the French and Italian navies. A total of 27 FREMM were to be constructed - 17 for France and 10 for Italy - with additional aims to seek exports, however budget cuts and changing requirements has seen this number drop significantly for France, while the order for Italy remained unchanged. The land-attack variant (AVT) was subsequently cancelled.

On 16 February 2015, the Egyptian Navy ordered one FREMM vessel to enter service before the opening of the New Suez Canal, as part of a larger deal (including 24 Rafales and a supply of missiles) worth US$5.9 billion (€5.2 billion).[2][3] The SYLVER A70 VLS and NETTUNO-4100 jamming equipment were removed due to export limitations for such sensitive equipment.[4] The crew will be around 126 sailors compared to 108 in the French Navy.[5] The SATCOM antenna for the French Syracuse satellites was also taken down; however, Egypt will use its own military telecommunications satellite, supplied by Airbus Defence and Space and Thales Alenia Space, in conjunction with its naval vessels.[6] From March 2015, DCNS trained the Egyptian crew in the technology of the ship and DCNS and its partners accompanied the crew for a period of 15 months.

Construction and career

In order to keep to Egypt's deadlines, France offered to send Normandie, originally intended for the French Navy.[7] On 23 June 2015, French naval shipbuilder DCNS transferred the FREMM frigate Tahya Misr ( ex-Normandie) to the Egyptian Navy. A ceremony took place to transfer Normandie, renamed Tahya Misr ("Long Live Egypt") to Egypt, in the presence of General Sedki Sobhy, the Egyptian Minister of Defense, Jean-Yves Le Drian, the French Minister of Defense, Admiral Osama Rabie, Egyptian Navy Commander in Chief, Admiral Bernard Rogel, the French Chief of Navy and Hervé Guillou, Chairman & CEO of DCNS.[5][8][9] The frigate sailed for the first time under the Egyptian flag on 24 June 2015, and as the flagship of the fleet on 6 August, it participated in the inauguration of the new Suez Canal.

In August 2018, Tahya Misr carried out a joint exercise with the similar Italian frigate Carlo Margottini, returning home after having participated in Operation Atalanta in the Indian Ocean.

References

  1. ↑ "Aquitaine class FREMM Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale". www.seaforces.org. Retrieved 2020-11-08.
  2. ↑ Lert, Frédéric (16 February 2015). "Egypt officially signs for 24 Rafales, FREMM frigate, and missiles". IHS Jane's Defence Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 21 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "Official French Navy Statement on the Sale of a FREMM Multi-Mission Frigate to Egypt". 13 February 2015. Archived from the original on 18 February 2015. Retrieved 18 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "DCNS Transfered [sic] the FREMM Frigate Tahya Misr to the Egyptian Navy". Navy Recognition. 24 June 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
  5. 1 2 "DCNS Transferred the FREMM Frigate Tahya Misr to the Egyptian Navy". 24 June 2015. Archived from the original on 10 July 2015. Retrieved 9 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "Un satellite Airbus-Thalès vendu à l'Egypte". 19 April 2016. Archived from the original on 22 April 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2017.
  7. ↑ "FREMM pour l'Egypte: Ça se précise..." 17 December 2014. Archived from the original on 17 December 2014. Retrieved 18 January 2015.
  8. ↑ "DCNS Transfers the FREMM Tahya Misr to the Egyptian Navy". 24 June 2015. Archived from the original on 16 July 2015. Retrieved 24 June 2015.
  9. ↑ "Egypt receives its first FREMM frigate". Janes.com. 25 June 2015. Archived from the original on 10 June 2016. Retrieved 12 May 2016.
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