Editing La Fayette-class frigate (section)

===Life extension upgrades===

Three of the French Navy frigates (''La Fayette'', ''Courbet'' and ''Aconit'') were selected to receive mid-life upgrades extending their useful service lives into the early 2030s. The three frigates are receiving KingKlip Mk2 hull-mounted sonar to incorporate an anti-submarine capability, modernized point air defence systems (consisting of two renovated SADRAL launchers, removed from the retired ''Georges Leygues'' class, and operating Mistral Mk3 SAMs/SSMs) as well as other improvements including the ability to carry the latest version of the Exocet anti-ship missile and ''CANTO'' anti-torpedo countermeasures (initially fitted first to ''La Fayette'' when she received her upgrade in 2021–22).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/euronaval-2022/2022/10/here-is-naval-groups-new-torpedo-decoy-launcher/ |title=Here Is Naval Group's New Torpedo Decoy Launcher |work=Naval News |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier |date=17 October 2022 |access-date=17 October 2022}}</ref><ref name="navalnews.com"/> The upgrades increase the displacement of the ships by some {{convert|80|t|LT ST}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-fregate-la-fayette-de-nouveau-operationnelle-apres-sa-renovation |title=La frégate La Fayette de nouveau opérationnelle après sa rénovation |work=Mer et Marine |language=fr |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |date=28 November 2022 |access-date=28 November 2022}}</ref> and will permit the three ships to operate through the 2020s and be retired between 2031 and 2034.<ref name=nnysmal/><ref name=memFeb2021/><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/09/french-navy-names-3-la-fayette-class-frigates-selected-for-mid-life-update/ |title=French Navy Names 3 La Fayette-Class Frigates Selected For Mid-Life Update |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier |work=Naval News |date=5 September 2019 |access-date=7 December 2020}}</ref> The first vessel, ''Courbet'', began her conversion refit in October 2020.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2020/october/9094-naval-group-starts-renovation-and-upgrade-of-french-navy-courbet-la-fayette-class-frigate.html |title=Naval Group starts renovation and upgrade of French Navy Courbet La Fayette-class frigate |work=navyrecognition.com |date=11 October 2020 |access-date=7 December 2020}}</ref> She returned to sea in June 2021.<ref name=flf/> In October 2021, ''La Fayette'' began her planned refit<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/10/first-upgraded-la-fayette-class-frigate/|title = First Upgraded la Fayette-class Frigate back into the French Fleet |work=Naval News |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier |date=18 October 2021 |access-date=28 November 2022}}</ref> and in November 2022 was declared operational again upon its completion.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.presseagence.fr/lettre-economique-politique-paca/2022/11/24/toulon-mise-en-service-operationnel-de-la-fregate-la-fayette-renovee/ |title=Toulon : Mise en service opérationnel de la frégate La Fayette rénovée |work=Presse Agence |language=fr |date=24 November 2022 |access-date=28 November 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/renovee-la-fregate-la-fayette-reprend-la-mer | title=Rénovée, la frégate la Fayette reprend la mer |work=Mer et Marine |language=fr |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent | date=19 May 2022 |access-date=28 November 2022}}</ref> In February 2023 ''Aconit'', the last of the frigates to be upgraded, began her life extension refit.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/naval-group-debute-la-renovation-de-la-fregate-aconit |title=Naval Group débute la rénovation de la frégate Aconit
|work=Mer et Marine |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |date=10 February 2023 |access-date=10 February 2023}}</ref> She was relaunched in July and was expected to be fully operational again in 2024.

The other two vessels of the class (''Surcouf'' and ''Guépratte'') were scheduled to undergo more modest structural and technical upgrades (with the elderly Crotale SAM to be removed), and be withdrawn from service in 2027 and 2031 respectively.<ref name=memFeb2021/> With somewhat reduced general purpose capability, it had been anticipated that the two ships would be re-assigned to offshore patrol duties for the remainder of their service life.<ref name=meret20211021>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/renovation-des-la-fayette-la-premiere-livree-la-seconde-entre-en-chantier|title = Rénovation des la Fayette : La première frégate livrée, la seconde en chantier |work=Mer et Marine |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |language=fr |date=21 October 2021 |access-date=28 November 2022}}</ref> However, subsequently it was decided to retain both ships in the frigate role despite their not having received a mid-life upgrade.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/le-reclassement-de-certaines-la-fayette-en-patrouilleurs-n-est-plus-a-l-ordre-du-jour |title=Le reclassement de certaines La Fayette en patrouilleurs n’est plus à l’ordre du jour |work=Mer et Marine |language=fr |last=Groizealeau |first=Vincent |date=17 April 2024 |access-date=17 April 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

From 2024 the ''La Fayette''-class units will be incrementally complemented, and eventually replaced, in first rank functions in the French Navy by the FDI-class frigates.<ref name=navyrecognitionMarch2021/>