Sweden is choosing to join a programme in which the first two frigates have already been delivered to the French and Hellenic navies. NDS visited the Naval Group ship yard in Loriant, and spoke with Jean-Marie Dorbon, FDI programme director at Naval Group, who describes this as the single most important advantage for Sweden.

– The advantage of joining an existing programme is that you inherit a risk-free solution. We have now delivered the first two frigates to two different navies, the French and the Hellenic. As the chief of the French naval staff said, there is still some fine-tuning to be done, but the work on that fine-tuning was carried out by previous customers. Sweden will benefit directly from the series effects, says Dorbon.

He further describes how the shipyard in Lorient (western France) is engaged in a continuous industrial process in which the production rate can be adjusted according to the order situation.

Swedish systems within the design framework

When asked about the integration of Swedish systems such as RBS15, Torpedo 47, Saab sensors and Bofors guns, Dorbon states that the FDI was designed from the outset with space to add sensors, weapons and other systems. He notes that the French Navy now wishes to add additional missile launchers to the vessel Amiral Ronarc'h.

– We have a common FDI core built around two major systems, primarily the air defence system and the anti-submarine warfare sensors, says Dorbon.

Interoperability with the Visby-class corvettes

Dorbon states that cooperation with Saab is part of the work to ensure that crews accustomed to other platforms will be able to operate the vessels. He notes that Sweden has adopted NATO standards for tactical data links, which facilitates interoperability with the Visby-class corvettes already operated by Sweden.

– The technical standards ensure that the vessels will work together. The cooperation with Saab ensures that the personnel will be able to operate them, says Dorbon.

Growing order book, but a minimum of four vessels for Sweden

France ordered its fifth FDI in March 2026 and Greece its fourth in November 2025. Dorbon argues that the Swedish order does not conflict with other customers but rather stabilises the production rate.

– Without the Swedish order, the shipyard would be building one frigate per year. With the Swedish order, the shipyard builds two frigates per year. That is not a problem, says Dorbon.

When asked whether the Swedish order is limited to four vessels or whether options exist for additional units, Dorbon gives a response that opens the door to an expanded order.

– Today it is four, but of course we are able to answer the demand of the client, says Dorbon.

Scaling requires new partners, and the question of Denmark

When asked about a potential Danish order, Dorbon is clear that expanded production beyond the current rate requires additional industrial partners to be brought in. He points out that blocks for the Hellenic and French frigates are already being produced in Greece, and that industrial capacity can be expanded by having partners produce components at other locations, with final assembly in Lorient.

– If you ask whether I can deliver three frigates in 2027, the answer is no. If you ask whether we can begin increasing production from 2030, the answer is yes, but we will need to add partners, says Dorbon.

When asked in a follow-up question whether he is referring to beginning production or delivering in 2030, the answer is unambiguous.

– Deliver. Deliver in 2030, says Dorbon.

He describes how Naval Group builds the hull and integrated superstructure separately, which opens the possibility of a geographical division of production.

– Today we produce both parts in Lorient. Tomorrow we can envisage producing one part elsewhere and carrying out the final integration here. That is also a way to accelerate, says Dorbon.