A French Navy multi-mission frigate operating under the European Union’s Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Aspides task force successfully intercepted and destroyed a Houthi-launched drone in the Red Sea, according to a statement from the French General Staff and Aspides command.
Footage released by the French military shows the frigate engaging the incoming drone at close range using its 76mm OTO Melara Super Rapid gun, mounted on the ship’s foredeck. The French Joint Staff shared the video via its official social media account, stating: “Interception by a 🇫🇷 frigate of an aerial drone coming from Yemen, threatening maritime traffic… Constant vigilance to ensure freedom of navigation and maritime security from Suez to Hormuz.”
📍Red Sea | Interception by a 🇫🇷 frigate of an aerial drone coming from Yemen, threatening maritime traffic.
➡️ Constant vigilance to ensure freedom of navigation and maritime security from Suez to Hormuz. pic.twitter.com/ARGCV6X3JL
— The 🇫🇷 Joint Staff – Military operations (@FrenchForces) April 18, 2025
Though the specific vessel involved was not named, only two FREMM (Frégate Européenne Multi Mission) frigates are currently deployed in the area with such capabilities: FS Alsace (D656) and FS Languedoc (D653), making either a likely candidate. Both ships are part of the Aquitaine-class, equipped for multi-role missions including anti-air, anti-surface, and anti-submarine warfare.
The 76mm OTO Melara gun, produced by Italian defense firm Leonardo, is capable of firing up to 120 rounds per minute at a muzzle velocity of 3,000 feet per second, the gun can engage targets up to 10 miles away using standard high-explosive proximity-fuzed fragmentation (HE-PFF) rounds.
It is also compatible with specialized ammunition, including the SAPOMER semi-armor-piercing shell and the DART projectile, a guided munition designed specifically to counter high-speed aerial threats like drones and cruise missiles.
