The French Navy frigate La Fayette will be calling for a five-day visit at Grand Harbour from today. She is named after the Marquis de La Fayette, a 21-year-old French aristocrat, who in 1779 obtained French support for the independence movement in America.  In 1780, La Fayette joined battle alongside George Washington on board the frigate Hermione and stayed until the final victories in Chesapeake Bay and Yorktown.

The frigate, which has stealth capability, was originally conceived to participate in crisis regulation outside Europe. But with the passing of time, and the emergence of new threats (terrorism, transnational crime, etc.) its missions have evolved to combating drug trafficking and piracy. 

The stealth capability of the La Fayette is based on its reduced radar cross section achieved by a very clean superstructure compared to conventional designs, angled sides and radar absorbent material, a composite of wood and glass fibre as hard as steel yet light, and resistant to fire. This design foils enemy radar that underestimates its size or mistakes it for a small fishing vessel.

Most modern fighting ships built around the world since the introduction of the La Fayette frigate have followed the same principles of stealth. This is the ship that appeared in the James Bond movie Golden Eye.

The frigate is now in operation in the Mediterranean under UN Security Council resolution 1973. It is commanded by Commander Emmanuel Sagorin.