Naval Group has cut steel on the first FDI frigate for the Royal Swedish Navy, the Luleå, at its Lorient yard. The ship is the first of four frigates Sweden ordered on 31 August 2026, and first delivery is scheduled for 2030.
The ceremony was led by Rear-Admiral Fredrik Lindén, head of naval systems at the FMV, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, and attended by Caroline Vicini, Sweden’s ambassador to France. It comes one month after the contract signing.
Production under way
Naval Group said the first Luleå is already in production in Lorient. The yard said its FDI line can deliver two frigates a year, and that the production line is fully operational.
The company said 13 FDIs have now been ordered for three NATO navies. It also said the line has available delivery slots in 2030.
Naval Group said it is working with Swedish industry through what it described as a structured, long-term industrial partnership. It said it has invested for years in its shipyards and is using local construction and partnerships with other European shipyards to speed up output.
The company described the FDI as an operational, first-rank multirole frigate with an inverted bow. It said the design has shown stability in high sea states and mission performance on the first French FDI’s maiden voyage, and that the vessel has demonstrated long-endurance and high-intensity operations in anti-submarine and anti-air roles.