French shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique has cut first steel for the ceremonial start of the construction of the French Navy’s first FLOTLOG fleet replenishment vessel.
The May 18 ceremony was attended by French armed forces minister Florence Parly and French Navy chief Admiral Prazuck.
France ordered four new Bâtiments Ravitailleurs de Force (BRF) replenishment vessels in June 2019 from the joint venture composed of Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group. Deliveries are expected to take place between 2022 to 2029.
This order for the French Navy is part of a Franco-Italian program led by OCCAR, on behalf of DGA, the French defense procurement agency, and its Italian counterpart NAVARM.
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, whose design of the Italian Navy’s Vulcano logistics support ship will serve as the basis for the French units, will deliver the forward sections for the four ships.
The replenishment ships will have the ability to deliver 13,000 m3 of fuel to French Navy combat vessels. In addition to fuel, they will carry ammunition, spare parts, as well as food for the vessels.
“We are at the very start of a new industrial story, which will feature once again our know how in design, building and integration of cutting edge technologies,” said Laurent Castaing, General Manager, Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
Naval Group is responsible for the design, development and integration of the military systems of the platform. The combat system for the four ships, whose architecture is based on the Polaris combat management system, ensures the protection against close threats and the fight against asymmetric threats.
The 194-meter ships will displace 31,000 tons and have a complement 190 personnel, including 130 crew members and 60 passengers.
