French stealth frigate in PHL for 4-day goodwill visit

From the Philippine News Agency (May 3): French stealth frigate in PHL for 4-day goodwill visit

A French La Fayette class multi-role and stealth frigate, the FNS Guepratte (F-714), will be docking at Pier 15, South Harbor, Manila on Wednesday for four-day goodwill visit which will end on May 7.

The French ship is under the command of its first female skipper, Cmdr. Claire Pothier.

Meeting point procedures for the FNS Guepratte will be conducting by the BRP Rajah Humabon (PF-11).

Philippine Navy (PN) spokesperson Capt. Lued Lincuna said this naval tradition will be conducted off the waters of Corregidor Island.

The French ship will be accorded welcome ceremonies by PN delegates upon her arrival.

Lincuna said this will be followed by a port briefing related to security, intelligence and health aboard the FNS Guepratte.

The goodwill visit will involve series of confidence building engagements between PN and French Navy personnel such as courtesy call to the PN flag-officer-in-command by FNS Guepratte's commanding officer along with her party, shipboard tour, receptions and goodwill soccer game.

The La Fayette class are general purpose frigates built by DCNS and operated by French Marine Nationale.

Derivatives of the type are in service in Saudi Arabia (Royal Saudi Navy), Singapore (Republic of Singapore Navy) and Taiwan (Republic of China Navy).

The ships were originally known as "stealth frigates" due to their unique stealth design at the time.

Their reduced radar cross section is achieved by a clean superstructure compared to conventional designs, angled sides and radar absorbent material, a composite material of wood and glass fiber as hard as steel, light, and fire-resistant.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=881925