and two Dagaie decoy systems. The frigate is equipped with a helicopter landing pad located on the stern and a hangar. The ship is capable of operating the embarked Eurocopter AS565 Panther up to sea state 5. Floréal is capable of operating helicopters up to the size of the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma. Based out of Réunion, she most commonly operates the AS565 Panther. The ship has a complement of 90 including the aircrew and officers and 24 marines with capacity for a further 13 personnel. Construction and career Floréal was ordered as part of the first pair on 20 January 1989 from Chantiers de l'Atlantique for construction at their yard in Saint-Nazaire, France, and the keel was laid down on 2 April 1990. The frigate was built using modular construction methods, which reduced the vessel's construction time. Floréal was launched on 6 October 1990 and commissioned into the French Navy on 27 May 1992. Following sea trials, Floréal sailed for Arsenal de Lorient, Lorient where the weapons and sensors were installed and underwent further trials. After entering service, Floréal was assigned to the French Pacific territories, based at Réunion, monitoring of the exclusive economic zone in the French Southern and Antarctic Lands. In October 1995, one week after Bob Denard overthrew the government of the Comoros in late September, French commandos using the frigate as a base of operations, landed in the island and arrested Denard. In 2002, Floréals helicopter drove off pirates that were attacking the Lebanese vessel Princess Sarah off Somalia. In 2003, Floréal underwent a major overhaul at Papeete, Tahiti. On 17 March 2009, Floréal contacted the private yacht Tanit, which was sailing for Kenya, about entering the Gulf of Aden and the dangers of piracy. The owners of the yacht, Florent and Chloë Lemaçon, decided to continue on their journey. The frigate escorted the yacht until 20 March, when the frigate was not allowed to go any farther. On 4 April, Tanit was seized by pirates off the coast of Ras Hafun, Somalia and those aboard taken hostage. Floréal took part in the action that led to the release of Tanit during which one of the hostages and two of the pirates were killed. On 5 December 2014, the frigate searched three vessels illegally fishing near Juan de Nova Island. Shark fins without carcasses were found and as a result of fishery products were destroyed.