The La Fayette type frigate (FLF) La Fayette , currently on a Joan of Arc circumnavigation mission, celebrated off the coast of Australia, on April 15, 2023, the thirtieth anniversary of its armament and its first colors ceremony.
Built in Lorient, this new class of frigates was particularly innovative for its time: stealth, modularity, ability to withstand shocks and combat damage, digital systems. Its avant-garde design thus inspired a new standard for many combat buildings in the world, but also the cinema, by lending its assistance to James Bond in Goldeneye in 1995.
Since her admission to active service in 1996, the La Fayette has taken part in all the operational missions of the Navy, distinguishing herself in particular in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean and the fight against drug trafficking.
In 30 years, the La Fayette has thus carried out 3,107 days at sea and the equivalent of 21 round-the-world trips, carried out 33 operational deployments on all the seas of the world, visited 55 countries in 266 stopovers or even contributed to the seizure of more than 10 tons of drugs. The action of his crew was rewarded with the award of a citation to the order of the maritime force and seven testimonials of satisfaction.
To preserve her operational value, La Fayette was modernized during her 2021-2022 upgraded refurbishment and now features anti-submarine detection capability as well as a new combat system.
Always at the forefront, the La Fayette continues to operate on all seas, as during this deployment where it will sail on three oceans, ready to meet the challenges of the decade to come.