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Simultaneous Double Anti-Ship Missile Test for French Navy Indian Ocean Fleet Light Frigates

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Naval Forces News - France
 
 
 
Simultaneous Double Anti-Ship Missile Test for French Navy Indian Ocean Fleet Light Frigates
 
On June 24th, 2014, two Floreal class surveillance frigates (the Floréal F-730 and the Nivôse F-732) based in Reunion island and belonging to the French Navy Indian Ocean fleet, conducted a simultaneous firing exercise with their MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles.
     
On June 24th, 2014, two Floreal class surveillance frigates (the Floréal F-730 and the Nivôse F-732) based in Reunion island and belonging to the French Navy Indian Ocean fleet, conducted a simultaneous firing exercise with their MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles.
French Navy surveillance frigates Floréal and Nivôse simultaneously launch their MM38 Exocet anti-ship missile during an exercise off Reunion island in the Indian Ocean.
Picture: French Navy
     
This live fire exercise on a dummy target was carried out in real conditions. Its goal was to train both crews in simultaneous strikes by saturation against a common surface target, thus perpetuating a complex skill.

The exercise was conducted while the surveillance frigate Floréal was on its way home following a two months deployement for Operation Atalanta (fight against maritime piracy off Somalia) and a patrol in the exclusive economic zones (EEZ) of the French Scattered Islands in the Mozambique channel.
     
On June 24th, 2014, two Floreal class surveillance frigates (the Floréal F-730 and the Nivôse F-732) based in Reunion island and belonging to the French Navy Indian Ocean fleet, conducted a simultaneous firing exercise with their MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles.
The second MM38 Exocet anti-ship missile is launched from the Floréal surveillance frigate
Picture: French Navy
     
The MM38 is the first generation of MBDA's Exocet family of anti-ship missiles. It is a combat-proven sea-skimming, subsonic, fire-and-forget missile with a range of about 40 Km. It entered service in 1975 with the French Navy. It has since been replaced by the MM40 block 1,2 and 3. Nowadays, Floréal class surveillance frigates are the only French Navy vessels still fitted with the MM38.
     
On June 24th, 2014, two Floreal class surveillance frigates (the Floréal F-730 and the Nivôse F-732) based in Reunion island and belonging to the French Navy Indian Ocean fleet, conducted a simultaneous firing exercise with their MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles.
Floréal Class Frigate
(picture: French Navy)