Naval Systems

Floréal class frigate

Also known as
  • Floreal class
  • Floréal-class frigate
  • Floréal-class surveillance frigate
  • French frigate Floréal

The Floréal class is a French surveillance-frigate family built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique for overseas presence, maritime policing, fisheries protection, and lower-threat patrol missions. The ships combine long range, helicopter facilities, a medium naval gun, light weapons, and formerly Exocet MM38 missiles; Nivôse is directly documented in EU NAVFOR Operation Atalanta counter-piracy interdiction off Somalia.

Floréal class frigate, Surveillance frigate class, Naval Systems
Image source: Le Nivôse aux Kerguelen.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Role in Conflicts

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
France
Type
Surveillance frigate class
Service note
1992-present
Produced
1990-2003
Number built
8 total (6 French, 2 Moroccan)

Specifications

Displacement
2,600 tonnes standard; 2,950 tonnes full load
Length
93.5 m overall
Beam
14 m
Draught
4.3 m
Speed
20 knots
Range
9,000 nautical miles at 15 knots
French service mission
Ocean surveillance, counter-trafficking and piracy patrols, EEZ control, navigation policing, and fisheries surveillance in overseas waters
Aviation facilities
30 x 15 m helicopter landing pad and 10 x 15 m hangar
Armament
French ships: 100 mm CADAM turret, two 20 mm guns, 12.7 mm machine guns, and originally two Exocet MM38 missiles before the French launchers were removed in 2014
Moroccan variant armament
Mohammed V series: MM38 missile launchers, 76 mm Oto Melara gun, 20 mm guns, and Najir fire control
Overseas Patrol Design

The Floréal design is built around long-range overseas surveillance rather than high-intensity fleet combat. Marine nationale describes the French ships as overseas-based frigates for maritime-space surveillance, counter-trafficking and piracy work, exclusive-economic-zone control, navigation policing, and fisheries surveillance.

French posture

The six French ships are distributed across overseas bases in the Antilles, Réunion, New Caledonia, and French Polynesia.

Mission fit

Long range, a helicopter deck and hangar, navigation and air-search sensors, and light-to-medium weapons support patrol, boarding, presence, and protection tasks.

Export branch

The Moroccan Mohammed V series keeps the patrol-frigate concept but uses a 76 mm Oto Melara main gun instead of the French 100 mm CADAM fit.

Variants

The class covers six French surveillance frigates and two Moroccan-built export ships based on the same general Floréal design but with a different main-gun fit.

VariantConfigurationDesignation notes
French Navy surveillance frigatesSix-ship French service group

Marine nationale lists Floréal, Prairial, Nivôse, Ventôse, Vendémiaire, and Germinal as the six French surveillance frigates, all based overseas.

Sources: Frégates de surveillance | Ministère des Armées

Mohammed V seriesRoyal Moroccan Navy export variant

Chantiers de l'Atlantique describes the Mohammed V series with the same patrol and protection mission set and lists a 76 mm Oto Melara gun, MM38 missile launchers, and helicopter-support sensors.

Sources: Floréal Frigate Class - Chantiers de l'Atlantique

Main Gun

Floréal-class frigates are documented with a single 100 mm CADAM turret forward, and NavWeaps lists the class among the ship classes fitted with the 100 mm/55 Model 1968 CADAM.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
100 mm/55 Model 1968 CADAM naval gun, 100 mm naval gun mount, Naval Systems100 mm/55 Model 1968 CADAM naval gun100 mm naval gun mount

The Floréal class mounts one 100 mm CADAM turret forward, and NavWeaps lists the class among ships fitted with the 100 mm/55 Model 1968 CADAM.

Sources: Floreal class Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale Fregate, NavWeaps 100 mm/55 Model 1968 CADAM

Mounted Weapons
Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
20mm GIAT M693 autocannon, French 20 mm autocannon chambered for 20x139mm NATO rounds, Infantry Weapons20mm GIAT M693 autocannon20 mm naval autocannon

Seaforces lists the Floréal class among the French ship classes fitted with the 20 mm/90 GIAT M693 [20F2] family gun.

Sources: Floreal class Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale Fregate

Surface Missiles

Seaforces lists the Floréal class with two Exocet MM38 missiles in midships launchers before the French ships removed them in 2014.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Exocet MM38 anti-ship cruise missile, Ship- and ground-launched anti-ship cruise missile, MunitionsExocet MM38 anti-ship cruise missileSurface-to-surface missile

Seaforces lists two MM38 Exocet missiles in midships launchers on the class and says the French ships removed those launchers in 2014.

Sources: Floreal class Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale Fregate

Timeline

Floréal class frigate Key Events

  1. First ships ordered

    The class program began with the first two ships ordered on 20 January 1989.

    Sources: Floreal class Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale Fregate

  2. Lead ship commissioned

    Floréal, the lead ship of the class, entered service in 1992.

    Sources: Category:Floréal (F730) - Wikimedia Commons

  3. Nivôse enters French service

    Marine nationale lists Nivôse as admitted to active service on 16 October 1992 and based at Port-des-Galets on Réunion.

    Sources: Frégates de surveillance | Ministère des Armées, Le Nivôse a 30 ans | Ministère des Armées

  4. Nivôse captures pirate vessels

    EU NAVFOR reported that Nivôse, attached to Operation Atalanta, captured 11 suspected pirates with a mother ship and two skiffs in the Indian Ocean.

    Sources: EU NAVFOR warship captures Pirate Mother Ship | EUNAVFOR

  5. EU NAVFOR notes Nivôse Atalanta deployment

    EU NAVFOR said Nivôse completed a 34-day Operation Atalanta deployment that included disruption of pirated dhows.

    Sources: French Frigate NIVOSE leaves EU NAVFOR after participating for one month in Operation ATALANTA | EUNAVFOR

  6. Nivôse on surveillance mission south of the Indian Ocean

    A Marine nationale image of Nivôse documented surveillance work south of the Indian Ocean, including fisheries policing and anti-trafficking missions.

    Sources: 2020 MBST 229 Q 009 007 HomeF732.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

Media

Floréal class frigate Videos

Floréal class frigate Images

Floréal class frigate, Surveillance frigate class, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: FNS Nivose Fremantle, Western Australia.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
Floréal class frigate, Surveillance frigate class, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: 2020 MBST 229 Q 009 007 HomeF732.jpg - Wikimedia Commons
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Sources

Floréal Frigate Class - Chantiers de l'AtlantiquePublisher: Chantiers de l'Atlantique | Note: Supports the Floréal/Mohammed V series builder context, propulsion, mission set, weapons fit, radar fit, and export-variant configuration. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Frégates de surveillance | Ministère des ArméesPublisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Supports the French surveillance-frigate mission set, six-ship French service group, overseas basing, armament summary, dimensions, displacement, speed, crew, and Nivôse service date and homeport. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Le Nivôse a 30 ans | Ministère des ArméesPublisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Supports Nivôse entering active service on 16 October 1992, later basing at Port-des-Galets, and direct 2008 Somali Piracy / Operation Atalanta use: Nivôse was used by French naval forces in Operation Atalanta anti-piracy missions. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Floreal class Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale FregatePublisher: seaforces.org | Note: Supports the class background, patrol role, build period, dimensions, displacement, speed, range, helicopter facilities, original armament fit, and French and Moroccan service context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03NavWeaps 100 mm/55 Model 1968 CADAMPublisher: NavWeaps | Note: Supports the Floréal class as one of the ship classes fitted with the 100 mm/55 Model 1968 CADAM and the related gun designation. | Accessed: 2026-07-03EU NAVFOR warship captures Pirate Mother Ship | EUNAVFORPublisher: EU Naval Force | Note: Supports 2008 Somali Piracy / Operation Atalanta direct conflict use: the French frigate NIVOSE captured 11 suspected pirates together with a mother ship and two skiffs. | Accessed: 2026-07-03French Frigate NIVOSE leaves EU NAVFOR after participating for one month in Operation ATALANTA | EUNAVFORPublisher: EU Naval Force | Note: Supports 2008 Somali Piracy / Operation Atalanta direct conflict use: FS NIVOSE completed a 34-day EU NAVFOR deployment and disrupted pirated dhows during Operation Atalanta. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Le Nivôse aux Kerguelen.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing context for the primary Floréal-class gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-03FNS Nivose Fremantle, Western Australia.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and licensing context for a Floréal-class ship photo at Fremantle. | Accessed: 2026-07-032020 MBST 229 Q 009 007 HomeF732.jpg - Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports gallery image provenance and licensing context for a Marine nationale Nivôse surveillance photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Category:Floréal (F730) - Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the lead ship's class identity and the category page's commissioning context for Floréal. | Accessed: 2026-07-03