France develops new launch system to let its FDI frigate carry up to four times more missiles.

Naval Group is developing a French cold-launch vertical launch system to increase up to four times the missile capacity of the FDI frigate, according to Mer et Marine on December 12, 2025.

As reported by Mer et Marine on December 12, 2025, Naval Group is working on a cold-launch missile system for the FDI frigate that could increase the ship's missile capacity from 16 to as many as 64 surface-to-air missiles. The system uses existing vertical launch spaces on the ship to support higher missile density and alternative missile types, including CAMM and CAMM-ER.
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With envisioned loadouts approaching or exceeding dozens of medium- and long-range missiles, the FDI could possess capacities typically associated with much larger destroyers, such as the U.S. Arleigh Burke-class. (Picture source: French Navy)

According to the article, Naval Group is developing a new French cold-launch system for the FDI frigate to significantly increase the number of missiles the ship can carry while avoiding reliance on U.S.-made vertical launcher systems. By using this cold-launch architecture, the FDI’s surface-to-air missile load could grow from a baseline centered on 16 Aster missiles to configurations reaching up to 64 missiles, and potentially more when short-range systems are included. The approach is explicitly designed to integrate CAMM and CAMM-ER missiles without making the Lockheed Martin ExLS launcher a requirement. Rather than altering the hull or sacrificing other mission areas, the solution exploits margins already built into the ship to preserve customer interest by allowing different mixes of air defense and strike missiles.

The FDI’s forward deck layout, central to this growth path, was designed from the outset around three separate pits for vertical launch systems (VLS) rather than a fixed, closed configuration. One large rectangular pit can host two Sylver A50 modules installed side by side, providing space for 16 Aster missiles, either Aster 15 or Aster 30, depending on the selected loadout. Forward of this are two square pits, each intended to accept a single launcher module, which constitute the main reserve volume for future expansion. These forward pits can accommodate either the Sylver A50 or the longer Sylver A70 launcher, which is required for missiles such as the MdCN naval cruise missile. Because these spaces were incorporated during the design phase, they can be reassigned to increase the missile capacity without redesigning the ship.

According to Mer et Marine, Naval Group’s cold-launch system is positioned as a national alternative to the U.S.-made Extensible Launching System (ExLS) for integrating CAMM missiles. The ExLS was examined as a possible solution for CAMM-ER integration, leading to temporary uncertainty over whether it would be adopted on the FDI. The clarified direction is that the ExLS is not mandatory, because the French-developed cold-launch solution will be designed to host CAMM and CAMM-ER directly. This keeps the launcher integration under French control while offering high missile density. The objective is to complement the Aster family by adding a dense layer of short- to medium-range interceptors, not to replace existing long-range capabilities. This approach also allows navies to remain flexible in their launcher ecosystem and industrial dependencies.

The distinction between hot launch and cold launch explains why this system enables higher missile counts. Aster missiles use hot launch, meaning the booster ignites inside the launcher cell, requiring the management of heat, exhaust gases, and internal pressure, which imposes constraints on launcher structure and spacing. The CAMM missiles use a cold-launch method, where the missile is ejected from its canister before motor ignition, reducing thermal stress inside the launcher. This allows a simpler launcher design optimized for denser packing of smaller missiles. The French cold-launch system, described as structurally simpler than the existing Sylver, is said to become operational in the early 2030s, consistent with future frigate deliveries discussed in countries such as Sweden. Cold launch is therefore presented as a practical way to increase ready missile numbers within limited deck space, which could reinforce a country's interest for the FDI.

The missiles involved cover distinct roles and engagement ranges, which explains the logic behind combining them. The Aster 15 is intended for short- to medium-range air defense, with engagement ranges on the order of 30 km, while the Aster 30 extends this role to longer-range area defense, commonly associated with ranges exceeding 100 km. The Aster 30 Block 1 NT offers anti-ballistic missile performance against targets with ranges up to approximately 1,500 km. The CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile) is a short- to medium-range interceptor providing defence against aircraft, UAVs, and cruise missiles with an operational range exceeding 25 km, while the CAMM-ER extends that envelope to roughly 45 km. The MdCN is a long-range land-attack cruise missile, with the ability to strike targets hundreds of kilometres inland from stand-off positions. Combining these missiles could allow the FDI to allocate various interceptors according to threat type and distance.

Applied to the FDI’s forward pits, the cold-launch solution translates into major numerical gains. One cold-launch module footprint is described by Mer et Marine as capable of hosting up to 24 CAMM missiles. If both forward square pits are fitted with cold-launch modules, the ship could carry 48 CAMM missiles in addition to 16 Aster missiles in two Sylver A50 modules, reaching a total of 64 surface-to-air missiles. Other mixes remain possible, such as three Sylver A50 modules for 24 Aster missiles paired with one cold-launch module for 24 CAMM missiles, or configurations combining air defense missiles with a Sylver A70 module carrying eight MdCN. Additional short-range systems, such as a 21-missile RIM-116 RAM launcher or a modular launcher carrying eight Mistral missiles, could raise the total number of ready anti-air missiles to around 85. This expansion is matched by the FDI’s combat system, including the Sea Fire fixed-panel AESA radar and the Captas-4 towed sonar, preserving the ship’s multi-mission character.

In terms of market relevance, expanding the FDI’s missile magazine would significantly enhance the frigate’s capabilities. With envisioned loadouts approaching or exceeding dozens of medium- and long-range SAMs, the FDI could contest air defence capacities typically associated with much larger destroyers or air defence cruisers. For example, current U.S. Arleigh Burke-class destroyers equipped with Mk 41 VLS can carry 90+ missiles of various types, while modern European air defence frigates like the British Type 45 field 48 large SAM cells optimized for area defence. An FDI with an expanded VLS and CAMM launcher suite capable of hosting 64 or more air defence missiles would allow it to cover not only self-defence but also provide escort air defence for task groups, defend key maritime approaches, and sustain engagements against saturation attacks. In regional contests where potential opponents operate advanced destroyers (such as Turkey’s TF-2000 or U.S./NATO destroyers) or large frigates (like Spain’s F110 class with 48+ cells), the enhanced FDI could match or exceed the air defence magazine depths of many contemporaries in the 4 000–8 000+ t class, giving it a competitive edge as a compact yet heavily armed surface combatant.

Written by Jérôme Brahy

Jérôme Brahy is a defense analyst and documentalist at Army Recognition. He specializes in naval modernization, aviation, drones, armored vehicles, and artillery, with a focus on strategic developments in the United States, China, Ukraine, Russia, Türkiye, and Belgium. His analyses go beyond the facts, providing context, identifying key actors, and explaining why defense news matters on a global scale.