French frigate shoots down drone in Red Sea

On April 18, 2025, the French Armed Forces released a video showing a multi-mission frigate using its 76 mm gun to shoot down a drone launched from Yemen by Houthi rebels targeting maritime traffic in the Red Sea. The incident was the first of its kind, and no similar events have been reported since.

Escalating conflict prompts French military action

The conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthi rebels has intensified recently, prompting France to plan an operational mission to protect the strategically important Saudi port of Yanbou from potential aerial attacks. The French military has remained discreet about the activities of its two frigates deployed near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

French forces protect merchant ships in Red Sea

According to the EMA's operations report for the week of October 1 to 8, French forces are part of the European Union mission Aspides, contributing to the protection of merchant ships in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. Since February 2024, more than 150 civilian ships have been protected through organized escorts requested by shipowners.

Frigate shoots down drone near container ship

During the night of October 1 to 2, the FREMM Languedoc, one of the two French frigates in the region, shot down a drone approaching the container ship Champs-Élysées, which was sailing through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This incident was confirmed by the French Armed Forces two weeks later, according to the newspaper Le Monde.

Frigate's role in securing trade routes

In its latest report, the EMA states that the FREMM involved in the Aspides operation currently accompanies about two ships per day, contributing to the freedom of navigation on a strategic axis of global trade. It is still unclear whether the Languedoc frigate has been upgraded with the Thales STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 system.

Advanced system enhances drone detection

The STIR 1.2 EO Mk2 system includes sensors that can acquire and track fast-moving threats with precision, even in crowded environments. According to Thales, it provides firing control data and guidance for both missiles and medium-caliber guns. The FREMM Normandie and Bretagne are already equipped with this system.