From Defense Aerospace

 

[excerpt]

 

Transfer and Commissioning of the Second Frigate for the Royal Moroccan Navy

(Source: DSNS; issued March 12, 2012)

 

On 10 March 2012, after successful sea trials and finishing of outfitting details, SIGMA Class Frigate, Sultan Moulay Ismail, built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS) in Vlissingen, was transferred to the Royal Moroccan Navy. The ship was delivered, on schedule and meeting all the requirements as stated in the contract, to the full satisfaction of the customer.

Unbelievable, is it April Fool's Day or are we witnessing something almost unheard of in the last 30+ years of weapons procurement?

Unbelievable, is it April Fool's Day or are we witnessing something almost unheard of in the last 30+ years of weapons procurement?

Is very usual in most ships of the Italian, French or Spanish navies (exceptions: very complex ships or first of his class/type, sometimes mixed with budgetary issues, as the DDG Horizon variants because the Aster missile and different radar types to each customer, CVH Principe de Asturias (his building was slowed because the budget was directed mainly those year to finishing the Santa Maria/Perry class), LHD Cavour or CVN Charles de Gaulle).

But the usual are well running programs, as FFG FREMM Aquitaine, LHD Mistral and Juan Carlos I, or FFG F-100 Alvaro de Bazan, and a lot of FFL or corvettes, as PG BAM Meteoro or L'Adroit, for national use or export (Spain mainly to South America).

 

As the most recent and neutral example FFG FREMM Aquitaine, twice the size, stealth and fourfold weapons or so than LCS .... and no problems, no retards, no substantial costs increases:

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=119000

 

More examples:

Netherlands' Holland (3700 tons, only 21 knots but 76mm gun, at least!):

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=119027

French L'Adroit (private venture):

http://www.meretmarine.com/article.cfm?id=118999

BAM Meteoro:

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buques_de_Acc...n_Mar%C3%ADtima