Horizon class, Forbin (F620)

Mathll · June 20, 2026, 3:03am

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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.

Today, continuing my series on modern French frigates, I will be presenting the first ship of the Horizon class: the Forbin (D620).

The Horizon class was designed primarily for the air defense of carrier strike groups and is built around the Aster 15 and Aster 30 missile systems, which were jointly developed by France and Italy. Initially launched in 1999, the Horizon program was intended as a collaborative effort between France, Italy, and the United Kingdom. However, the United Kingdom eventually withdrew from the project to focus on the development of the Type 45 destroyer, which nevertheless uses the same core air-defense system. This international cooperation allowed France and Italy to share development costs and jointly procure certain components, significantly reducing the overall cost of the program. Construction officially began in 2002 once the final design had been completed. The original plan called for four frigates for each navy, but budget reductions in both countries ultimately reduced the order to two ships each. The resulting vessels were named Andrea Doria, Caio Duilio, Forbin, and Chevalier Paul.

The Forbin is the first of the two Horizon-class frigates built for the French Navy. Constructed at the Lorient shipyard, the vessel underwent an unusually lengthy building and testing period. Although launched in 2005, it did not officially enter service until early 2009. Based in Toulon, the ship first underwent extensive sea trials and operational evaluations to validate its capabilities, including test firings of Aster missiles and torpedoes, before commencing active service with the fleet.

From 2010 onward, the ship participated in numerous missions, operations, and multinational exercises. It regularly deployed as part of the French carrier strike group and also operated alongside NATO naval formations, including several U.S. carrier strike groups during joint deployments. In this capacity, the Forbin took part in Operation Harmattan during the Libyan intervention and later contributed to Operations Agenor and Aspides, which were conducted to enhance maritime security and freedom of navigation in and around the Strait of Hormuz. Primarily dedicated to protecting high-value naval assets, the ship has not yet had to employ its weapon systems in an actual combat engagement, unlike some French FREMM frigates that have been tasked with escorting merchant vessels in higher-risk environments.

The Forbin has also been involved in several recent testing and evaluation campaigns aimed at qualifying new technologies for future naval operations. Among these was the assessment of a laser-based defense system designed to counter drones and incoming munitions. In 2025, during a training exercise, the ship successfully intercepted and destroyed an AASM guided bomb launched by a Rafale aircraft against a designated target. During a scheduled maintenance period in 2027, the vessel is expected to receive the capability to operate the new Aster 30 N1T missile, further enhancing its already formidable air-defense capabilities.

The ship is named in honor of Claude de Forbin, a distinguished French naval officer of the seventeenth century. During his career, he served alongside some of the most renowned figures in French naval history, including Duquesne, Tourville, and Jean Bart. He notably took part in the Battle of La Hougue as well as the conflicts of the War of the League of Augsburg and the War of the Spanish Succession.

Characteristics

Length : 153.00 m

Beam : 20.30 m

Draft : 5.40 m

Displacement : 7050 tons (full load)

The ship is powered by a CODOG (diesel and gas) system consisting of two 27,491 hp gas turbine engines and two 5,790 hp SEMT Pielstick diesel engines. This allows it to reach a speed of 29 knots and a range of 6,100 nautical miles at 18 knots. Its crew consists of 190 sailors.

Equipment

The ship is centered around its radar system, enabling it to detect and identify aircraft at a range of over 400 km. This allows it to perform its role as an air defense vessel flawlessly.

Radar:

ES EMPAR PESA multi-purpose radar (Selex)
S1850M 3D long-range radar (BAE/Thales)
AN/SPN-753(V)4 navigation radar (GEM Elettronica)
ES RTN-30X fire direction radar (Selex)

Sonar:

UMS 4110 CL (Thales)

Other sensors:

IRST Vampir MB (Sagem)

Decoys:

2 x Oto-Melara SCLAR-H chaff/decoy launching system
2 x SLAT (anti-torpedo system) anti-torpedo decoys
SIGEN EWC
Elettronica 4100 Nettuno ECM system

In addition, the ship has a hangar and a flight deck capable of accommodating one or two 10-ton class helicopters. allowing it to embark Panther or NH90 helicopters which increase its strike capabilities.

Weapons

The Horizon-class frigates are equipped with all the armament one would expect from a modern frigate, including the following weapons.

Cannons :

2 x 76/62 SR OtoMelara/Leonardo
3 x 20mm Nexter Narwhal
5 x 12.7mm

Torpedo :

2 x torpedo tube for Mu90 torpedo (24 torpedos in hold)

Missiles :

8 x MM-40 Exocet B3 sea-sea missiles
48 vertical launcher system (VLS)
- 32 Aster 30 sea-air missiles
- 16 Aster 15 sea-air missiles

Additionally, a SADRAL system can be installed above the helicopter hangar at the stern of the ship. This system, based on the Mistral missile, allows for the interception of munitions, drones, helicopters, or aircraft on short-range approach.

This ship is obviously not one to add to the game immediately, as it carries weapons and technologies not yet available in naval battles. However, when this type of ship is released, it will be worthwhile to have it in the French tech tree, as it simply represents the best anti-air defense available.

Pictures

Video

#Tir | Succès pour la frégate de défense aérienne (FDA) Forbin 🚀
Succès d’un tir Aster 15 par la frégate Forbin !
Le Forbin en mission
Le Var ravitaille la frégate Forbin à la mer

Sources

CharAznable3 · June 20, 2026, 3:06am

the duel wielding French cowboy