Naval Group Plots Plan to Offer FDI Frigates to Sweden, Teams up with Local Shipyard
•February 11, 2026
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Companies Mentioned
Why It Matters
The collaboration boosts Sweden’s maritime defence readiness while deepening Franco‑Swedish industrial ties, reshaping the regional shipbuilding landscape.
Key Takeaways
- •Naval Group targets Swedish market with FDI frigates
- •Partnership with Oresund Drydocks ensures local maintenance
- •First Swedish delivery possible by 2030
- •Through‑life support includes technology transfer and sustainment
- •Enhances Sweden's multi‑role surface combat capability
Pulse Analysis
The FDI frigate program represents a strategic shift in European naval procurement, offering a modular, multi‑role platform that can conduct anti‑air, anti‑surface, anti‑submarine and asymmetric missions. At 122 metres and 4,500 tonnes, the vessel delivers 27‑knot speed and 45‑day endurance, positioning it as a versatile asset for nations seeking to modernise fleets without committing to larger destroyer classes. Naval Group’s decision to pitch the FDI to Sweden aligns with broader French ambitions to export high‑tech maritime solutions amid rising demand for adaptable surface combatants.
Sweden’s partnership with Oresund Drydocks is more than a logistical arrangement; it embeds maintenance, lifecycle support and knowledge transfer within the domestic defence ecosystem. By localising sustainment, the Swedish Navy can achieve higher availability rates while cultivating a skilled workforce capable of servicing advanced systems such as integrated radar suites and UAV launch capabilities. The agreement also signals confidence in Sweden’s shipbuilding infrastructure, potentially spurring ancillary contracts for domestic suppliers and reinforcing the nation’s strategic autonomy in the Baltic region.
Regionally, the deal intensifies competition among European shipbuilders, prompting rivals to accelerate their own next‑generation offerings. For Naval Group, securing a Swedish customer opens a gateway to the broader Nordic market, where similar capability gaps exist. The projected 2030 delivery timeline dovetails with Sweden’s defence modernization plan, ensuring the FDI platform remains relevant amid evolving threat environments and contributes to a more resilient, interoperable European maritime defence posture.
Naval Group plots plan to offer FDI frigates to Sweden, teams up with local shipyard
French shipbuilder Naval Group has revealed plans to offer its next-generation Defence and Intervention (FDI) frigates to Sweden, teaming up with local shipyard Oresund Drydocks to provide maintenance, support, and strengthen the country’s naval capabilities.
As informed, the company signed the partnership cooperation agreement on February 2, 2026, during the stopover of the FDI frigate Amiral Ronarc’h in Sweden. The vessel, the French Navy’s first FDI frigate, was delivered last October. The frigate is the first unit in this major program of five frigates, designed to strengthen the French Navy’s capabilities and symbolise the renewal and reinforcement of the fleet’s capabilities.
Related Article
Naval Group has the ambition to offer Sweden the FDI surface combatants. The delivery of frigates to Sweden, with the first possible as early as 2030, would be accompanied by its through-life support capabilities.
Through a partnership with Oresund Drydocks, Naval Group partners for the maintenance and service support of the FDI in Sweden, aiming to optimize fleet availability and ensure long-term sustainability while facilitating knowledge and technology transfer.
This agreement is part of Naval Group’s broader ambition to strengthen the Swedish defence industry and support the Swedish Navy’s evolving needs.
The FDI is a next‑generation surface combatant developed by French shipbuilder Naval Group to meet modern naval warfare demands. Known for its multi‑role capabilities, the FDI is designed to operate independently or as part of a larger fleet, conducting anti‑air, anti‑surface, anti‑submarine, and asymmetric warfare operations.
Measuring approximately 122 metres in length with a displacement of around 4,500 tonnes, the FDI frigate can reach speeds of up to 27 knots and sustain missions for around 45 days without resupply. The ship’s armament includes anti‑air missiles, anti‑ship missiles, anti‑submarine torpedoes, and a main artillery gun, while its sensor suite.
The FDI also has the capacity to carry a helicopter, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and detachments such as special forces, enhancing its utility across mission profiles.
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