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Naval
Forces News - France |
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French
Navy's First B2M Vessel D'Entrecasteaux Set Sails for Homeport
in the Pacific |
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The French Navy (Marine Nationale) announced that first ship of the
class "D'Entrecasteaux" set sail for its homeport of Noumea,
New Caledonia in the southwest Pacific Ocean. The first B2M (for bâtiment
multi-missions or multi-mission vessel) left Brest on May 11 2016. This
new class of vessel intended for the overseas missions of sovereignty. |
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 D'Entrecasteaux leaving Brest to join its homeport in the Pacific. Picture: French Navy |
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Noumea
is home of the French Navy Pacific fleet (ALPACI) with 500 sailors.
D'Entrecasteaux will join Floreal class Frigate Vendémiaire,
two P400 class patrol vessels and a BATRAL-class landing ship which
it will eventually replace. Also based in Noumea are two Falcon Guardian
aircraft for search-and-rescue and maritime patrol missions. Three multi-mission vessels of the class were ordered in December 2013 by the DGA to the corporate group Kership, co-owned by Piriou shipyard and DCNS. The second and third B2Ms are intended to French Polynesia in the Pacific and the Island of Reunion. The latest and updated military planning law provides for the order of a fourth B2M. These vessels are designed to ensure the overseas missions of sovereignty: presence, monitoring and protection of French interests in exclusive economic zones, projection forces, logistical support and backup and support for the populations. The class has a top speed of 12 to 15 knots. They have a long endurance of approximately 30 days of operation without replenishment. They carry a work boat of about 8 metres long and semi-rigid boats, and will have a crane for loading and unloading containers. They will also be capable of deploying divers and carrying weapons and munitions. According to the French Procurement Agency (DGA), these vessels: - have the ability to project 20 personnel (joint, police or gendarmerie) with two 4x4 vehicles along with their weapons and ammunition. - will ensure the evacuation of citizens and have the ability to deploy and support divers and equipment (including drones) to conduct underwater interventions. - Under the state action at sea, they will provide fisheries police missions, and contribute to the fight against illegal immigration, drug trafficking and piracy. - They will assist ships in distress and participate in safeguarding people and property, through their firefighting means and towing capacity of up to 30 tons |
 D'Entrecasteaux leaving Brest to join its homeport in the Pacific. Picture: French Navy |
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