Horizon class / Forbin-class frigate

Service And Conflict Use

1. Jun 10, 2011

   Chevalier Paul enters French service

   The French Navy says Chevalier Paul was admitted to active service on 10 June 2011, marking the class's operational entry in French service.

   Sources: Frégates de défense aérienne - Ministère des Armées

2. Dec 20, 2015

   Carrier group deploys against ISIL

   U.S. Naval Forces Central Command reported Charles de Gaulle beginning Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL with Chevalier Paul escorting the carrier group.

   Sources: Charles de Gaulle conducts first Arabian Gulf missions against ISIL as CTF 50

3. Jun 20, 2023

   Mid-life upgrade agreement signed

   Naval Group said France and Italy signed a memorandum of understanding for the mid-life upgrade of the four Horizon frigates at the Paris Air Show.

   Sources: Naviris moves forward on the mid-life upgrade of the horizon frigates

4. Apr 23, 2024

   Chevalier Paul fires Aster 30

   The French Ministry of the Armed Forces reported that Chevalier Paul successfully fired an Aster 30 during operational training alongside Charles de Gaulle.

   Sources: Deux bâtiments du groupe aéronaval réalisent pour entraînement des tirs de missiles Aster

Horizon class / Forbin-class frigate Images

Related Weapon Systems

Naval SystemsAmiral Ronarc'h-class frigateMulti-role frigate classThe Amiral Ronarc'h-class frigate is Naval Group's FDI family, a compact French multi-role combat ship with digital and cyber-secure architecture. The lead ship began sea trials in 2024, was delivered to the French Navy in October 2025, and later started a long-duration deployment before expected active service in 2026.

Support EquipmentAIR6500 Joint Air Battle Management SystemIntegrated air and missile defence command-and-control systemAIR6500 is Australia’s Joint Air Battle Management System program, a Lockheed Martin Australia-led command-and-control architecture for integrated air and missile defence. Defence says Phase 1 provides the core IAMD architecture, with four CEA-built radars and an operator evaluation environment feeding the design.

Air DefenseAN/SPY-7 radarSolid-state S-band AESA radar familyAN/SPY-7 is Lockheed Martin's modular, scalable solid-state S-band AESA radar family for Aegis-equipped sea- and land-based missile-defense missions. Designated AN/SPY-7(V)1 in 2019, the family was selected for Japanese, Canadian, and Spanish programs and later expanded into land-based derivative deployments such as LRDR and TPY-6.

Naval SystemsLa Fayette class frigateMultipurpose stealth frigate classThe La Fayette class is France's five-ship multipurpose stealth frigate family, developed by DCN International in Lorient around reduced radar signature, a 125-meter hull, and a small crew for crisis-response and maritime-surveillance work. It later spawned export derivatives for Saudi Arabia, Singapore, and Taiwan.

Air DefenseLong Range Discrimination RadarLong-range ballistic-missile discrimination radarLong Range Discrimination Radar is a Lockheed Martin-built, solid-state GaN S-band AESA radar at Clear Space Force Station, Alaska. It provides search, track, discrimination, and hit-assessment data for U.S. homeland missile defense, and the Space Force accepted it for operational use in 2025 after initial fielding in 2021.

Naval SystemsSachsen class / F124 frigateAir-defense frigate classThe Sachsen class / F124 frigate is Germany's three-ship air-defense frigate class, built as a high-end escort for task-group protection and maritime security. Bundeswehr descriptions emphasize its SMART-L long-range radar, APAR fire-control radar, Mk41 vertical launch system for SM-2 and ESSM, Harpoon anti-ship missiles, RAM point defense, and 76 mm gun armament.

Sources