The Horizon class (French: Classe Horizon; Italian: Classe Orizzonte) is a class of air-defence destroyers in service with the French and Italian navies. They are designated as destroyers by the Italians[1] and using NATO classification but are referred to as "frigates" by the French. The programme started as the Common New Generation Frigate (CNGF), a three-nation collaboration between France, the United Kingdom, and Italy to develop a new generation of air-defence warships.[2] Differing national requirements, workshare disagreements and delays led to the UK withdrawing from the project in 1999 to develop the Type 45 destroyer.[3]
The FREMM multipurpose frigate were built using the same company structure as the Horizon project.
France, Italy, and the UK issued a joint requirement in 1992 after the failure of the NATO Frigate Replacement for the 90s (NFR-90) project. In July 1993, the three countries signed a Memorandum of Understanding for a Common New Generation Frigate (CNGF).[4] The ships were to be armed with the Principal Anti Air Missile System (PAAMS). The UK intended to purchase twelve ships to replace its Type 42 destroyers. France was to purchase four to replace its, and Italy would purchase six to replace its and ships.[5]
Problems emerged almost immediately. The primary problem was that of differing requirements: France wanted anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) escorts for its aircraft carriers, but only a limited range was necessary due to the self-defence capability of the French . Italy too required only close-range capabilities, as in its home waters of the Mediterranean Sea the ships would operate under Italian Air Force cover or escorts for its aircraft carrier . The Royal Navy, however, required more capable ships which could throw a large defensive "bubble" over a fleet operating in hostile areas.[6] The compromise that largely solved this problem was the adoption of a standard radar interface, which allowed France and Italy to install the EMPAR multi-function passive electronically scanned array radar and the UK to install the more capable SAMPSON active electronically scanned array radar—the SAMPSON radar has a higher data rate and an adaptive beam that allows a greater ability to track multiple targets, long-range detection of low-RCS targets, a lower false-alarm rate, and overall higher tracking accuracy.[7]
In March 1996, it was agreed that the PAAMS office would be based in Paris, and the Project Horizon project office would be based in London. The latter was to be responsible for the design of the ship, its command and control, and secondary weapons systems. Britain also agreed to contribute £100m in recognition of the development work already completed by Italy and France on PAAMS. Construction would be carried out by DCN (France), GEC-Marconi (UK), and Orizzonte (Italy).
On 26 April 1999, the UK announced that it was withdrawing from the CNGF project to pursue its own national design. At this point, the CNGF project was five years behind schedule.[8] The Financial Times summarised the main disagreements between the partner countries:[9]
The resulting Type 45 destroyer is armed with the PAAMS missile system and has benefited from investment in the Horizon project.
France and Italy continued their collaboration under the Horizon project. In September 2000, the two countries signed a contract to jointly produce four ships, ordering two ships each which would deploy the PAAMS missile system.[10] The Italian Navy ordered two units, and, to replace the Audace class. Andrea Doria was accepted on 22 December 2007 and received the flag of the Italian Navy. Full operation capability was achieved in the summer of 2008. The French Navy ordered two units, and, to replace the Suffren-class carrier escorts. The project cost France €2.16bn (~US$3bn) at 2009 prices.[11] A further two Horizons were cancelled; instead, the two
| Name | Pennant number | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Commissioned | Status | Motto |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D620 | DCNS Lorient | 4 April 2002 | 10 March 2005 | December 2008 | In service | Opra Sac Di Sou Kraam | |
| D621 | 23 October 2003 | 12 July 2006 | June 2009 | In service | Oser et Vaincre | ||
| D 553 | Fincantieri Riva Trigoso and Muggiano (La Spezia) | 19 July 2002 | 15 October 2005 | 22 December 2007 | In service | Altius Tendam | |
| D 554 | 19 September 2003 | 23 October 2007 | 3 April 2009 | In service | Nomen numen | ||