During the late 1990s, the Singapore Navy began the process of selecting replacements for its oldest class of guided-missile patrol craft. Initially, there were to have been eight 1,000-ton trimaran-hulled craft built of glass-reinforced plastic and Kevlar, but the concept evolved into a sextet of 3,200-ton, steel-construction monohulls. Under a contract signed in March 2000, France's DCN launched the first unit, the Formidable, on 7 January 2004 at Lorient; the other five are being built locally by Singapore Technologies Marine at its Benoi yard. In keeping with the Singapore Navy's tradition of inspirational ship names, the other five are being named the Intrepid, Steadfast, Tenacious, Stalwart, and Supreme. All six are to enter operational service between 2007 and 2009. With a ship's company of 71 officers and enlisted and an air group of 15 for their still-to-be-selected shipboard helicopters, the 374-foot ships are powered by four 11,000-brake-horsepower MTU diesels for a maximum speed of 27 knots and a range of 4,000 nautical miles at 25 knots. Although the planned set of 32 Sylver vertical launchers for 15 km-ranged Aster-15 surface-to-air missiles will not have been installed when the ships are commissioned, space has been provided for the launcher modules forward of the low bridge. The ships initially will be fitted with an OTO Melara 76-mm dual-purpose gun but may later be equipped with a gun of up to 127-mm bore. Other armament includes eight RGM-84C Harpoon antiship missiles, two small-caliber automatic guns, and two sets of triple antisubmarine torpedo tubes. The photograph shows the Formidable shortly alter launch; the inset depicts the ships as completed.
The Oliver Hazard Perry (FFG-7)-class guided-missilc frigate Giresun (exAiurim, FFG-20), here visiting Toulon this January, was transferred to Turkey under the Grant Aid program during 1996. Part of the original short-hulled group within the class, the Giresun and three of her sisters have had their hulls modified aft to permit operating S-70B Seahawk helicopters, of which the Turkish Navy currently operates four, all delivered during 2002. Although the Turkish Navy has a goal of 32 Seahawks, financial constraints have postponed further orders. The eight Turkish Oliver Hazard Percy-class frigates were the short-hull version as transferred, but all are planned to be modified to accommodate Seahawks. While the U.S. Navy has abandoned the Standard SM-1 system, the missile still is carried in ten foreign navies by a large number of warships, including 28 U.S.- and foreign-built versions of the Oliver Hazard Perry design. The latest of these, the Taiwanese Tian Dan, was delivered by China Shipbuilding Corporation on 9 March 2004; the Standard SM-1-equipped George Philip (FFG-12) is to be transferred to Portugal later this year.
The bow half of the 21,500-ton French Navy helicopter assault ship Mistral-here with additional flotation pontoons welded to the hull abreast her bulbous forefoot-was launched by Alstom at St. Nazaire on 24 January 2004. Construction of the stern was assigned to the government-operated DCN facility at Brest, but many of its modules are being fabricated by a shipyard in Poland. The official "launch" and christening for the 689-foot Mistral is scheduled for this November, and she is planned to enter service in June 2005, with her sister, the Tonnerre, to follow a year later. Capable of accommodating up to 20 troop-carrying helicopters und 450 troops900 for short periods-and their equipment, the diesel electric-powered, 19-knot pair will be operated by only 160 personnel each. Equipped with a full-length flight deck, the Mistral and Tonnerre each will have six deck spots for aircraft up to C-53E and MV-22B Osprey sizes. The hangar will accommodate 16 helicopters, and the 5,249 feet of vehicle cargo lane space will allow for the transport of 54.5-ton Leclerc heavy tanks. A 189-foot long by 50.5-foot wide stern well will accommodate one French Navy CDIC utility landing craft or four LCM(8) landing craft or two U.S. Navy LCACs. The pair will replace the 1960svintage dock landing ships Ouragan and Orage, and the Mistral is to have an additional role as replacement for the training cruiser Jeanne d'Arc.