Poster tampion french frigate Forbin

The frigate Forbin is a Horizon-class air defense vessel of the French Navy, commissioned in 2010. She is the sister ship of the Chevalier Paul. Its main mission is to escort and protect a carrier battle group around an aircraft carrier, such as the Charles-de-Gaulle, or to support amphibious operations. It provides air traffic control in war zones and can also intervene in a crisis situation, carry out intelligence missions or protect unarmed ships. The Horizon frigates, including the Forbin, are among the most powerful surface ships built by France, with the exception of aircraft carriers. It takes its name from Claude de Forbin, a squadron commander in the Royal Navy in the 17th and 18th centuries.

The Horizon project, to which Forbin belongs, began in 1999 with the collaboration of the French, Italian and British Ministries of Defence. The Horizon SAS joint venture is created to build these new air defense frigates. The cost of the program is estimated at 2.8 billion euros. The construction of Forbin goes through several stages, from the cutting of the first sheet in 2002 to its commissioning in 2010.

The Forbin frigate has some remarkable features, including its robust design with 12 watertight sections to deal with threats in the war zone. It incorporates stealth systems to reduce its radar and infrared signature. It is equipped with NBC protection systems to deal with nuclear, bacteriological and chemical threats. Its armament includes Aster 15 and 30 missiles for air defense, Exocet MM40 Block 3C missiles for coastal land targets, as well as cannons and an advanced electronic warfare system.

The frigate's combat system, the Combat Management System (CMS), is designed to manage operations and tactical liaisons. It can also operate NH90 class helicopters for search and rescue, surveillance and anti-submarine warfare missions.