D'Entrecasteaux-class patrol ship

The D'Entrecasteaux class is a class of oceanic patrol ships of the French Navy. The ship's designation is Bâtiment multi-mission in French (B2M, "multi-mission ship") and also dubbed the "Swiss Army knife of the Navy",[4] the type of ships is designed to perform sovereignty, law enforcement and logistics missions (such as policing illegal fishing, traffics and mining; assisting distressed ships, and search and rescue; and contributing to the logistics of Overseas collectivities[5]) from, replacing the aging BATRAL-class landing ships in this role.[6]

Champlain in Concarneau before her launch, in September 2016
Class overview
Name: Bâtiment multi-mission
Builders: Kership (DCNS-Piriou joint venture), Concarneau
Operators:  Marine Nationale
Preceded by: BATRAL-class landing ship
Planned: 4
Active: 4
General characteristics
Type: Offshore patrol vessel[1][2]
Displacement:
  • 1,500 tonnes (empty)
  • 2,300 tonnes (full load)[3]
Length: 65 m (213 ft 3 in)[3]
Beam: 14 m (45 ft 11 in)[3]
Draught: 4.20 m (13 ft 9 in)[3]
Speed: 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)[3]
Troops: 20[3]
Complement: 20[3]
Armament: 2 x 7.62 mm guns
Notes: 12-tonne crane[3]

Three units were initially planned,[6] but a fourth one was ordered in early 2015, to cover the Mozambique Channel.[5] The French Navy's first Bâtiment multi-mission (B2M) ship, d'Entrecasteaux, was delivered at the end of March 2016. The B2M vessels can be armed with two 12.7x99 mm (.50 cal.) machine guns.[7]

D'Entrecasteaux at Fleet Base East, Woolloomooloo during a visit to Sydney, Australia on 18 December 2016

History

Missions and background

France holds the largest exclusive economic zones (EEZ), totalling one million km² in the Indian Ocean and 1.7 million km² in the Southern Ocean.[8] To enforce law in these areas, the French Navy has deployed a number of ships suitable for low-intensity engagements and with flexible capabilities: BATRAL-class landing ships, P400-class patrol vessels and D'Estienne d'Orves-class avisos, all Cold War designs, have been deployed in this role, and stop-gap measures such as Albatros were taken. More recently, the French Navy has procured classes of ship specifically designed for law enforcement and public service in the EEZ, such as the Floréal-class frigates.[9]

In the 2010s, the aging BATRAL, Jacques Cartier, based in Nouméa, was decommissioned in April 2013[10] and the decommissioning of Albatros in May 2015 led to the need to procure replacements for the naval stations of Port des Galets (La Réunion), Nouméa (New Caledonia), Dégrad des Cannes (Martinique) and Papeete (French Polynesia).[8][10] In March 2006, the Service des Programmes Navals (SPN, "Naval Programme Service") started to study a replacement for the five BATRALs and for Albatros.[11]

The ships initially envisioned would have been typed Bâtiments d'intervention et de souveraineté (BIS, "Intervention and Sovereignty Ships"); although they were to dispense with the amphibious capabilities of the BATRAL, they were to accommodate a company-sized force (120 men and 20 vehicles, including armoured vehicles).[11] Four projects were evaluated, including the "MultiPurpose Projection Vessel" by CNIM, the "Echoship" by DCNS, the M.OPV by Piriou, and the UT 527 by Rolls-Royce Marine.[11] In October 2013,[12] a modified version of the M.OPV was co-contracted to Piriou and DCNS; a joint venture, Kership, was founded for the project.[13][14]

Expenses of the contract, amounting to 100 million euro,[12] were initially to be covered not only by the Ministry of Defence, but also by other branches of the government: 20% of the funds to acquire the ships and 50% of the maintenance would have been provided by other ministries. However, from July 2013, it was decided that the Ministry of Defence had to shoulder the burden alone.[11][12]

Design

The design selected for the Bâtiment multi-mission eschews the amphibious capabilities of the previous BATRAL and the L-CAT design proposed by CNIM, similar to the Engin de débarquement amphibie rapide,[11] for a concept of platform supply vessel,[1] or anchor handling tug supply vessel.[2] In line with most ship designs tasked for coastguard duty in the French Navy, the B2M will be built according to civilian standards;[11] this was already the case notably for the Floréal class.[15] The hulls are built in Poland,[8] Piriou being tasked with the design of the ship proper and the finish in Concarneau, while DCNS work on the military aspects of the project.[16]

The ships were to displace over 1,000 tonnes, have a length between 60 and 80 metres (200 and 260 ft), and machinery capable of 8,000 to 12,000 horsepower (5,966 to 8,948 kW).[2]

Features and capabilities

The B2M are designed for a range of low-intensity, high-endurance missions in the French EEZ, from bases in the Overseas collectivities.[1] As such, they feature a relatively low maximum speed of 12 to 15 knots (22 to 28 km/h), but are able to operate for 30 days without resupply,[16] and are designed for a high availability of 200 days at sea per year.[1] One of their main task is maritime law enforcement, particularly in the domain of commercial fishing and against illegal immigration, Drug trafficking and piracy.[1]

The B2M provide a limited capability of power projection, as they can ferry a 20-man force, along with equipment and two vehicles; as the missions of the B2M are joint between the various ministries responsible for the maritime actions of the State, these forces can belong to any arm of the French Military, to the Gendarmerie or the Police.[1] They carry an 8-metre (26 ft) boat and several rigid-hulled inflatable boats,[16] and can deploy frogmen as well as remotely operated underwater vehicles.[1] The ship can also accommodate a medical team to be deployed during humanitarian emergencies.[5]

To assist ships of distress, the B2M can develop a 30-tonne bollard pull and have extensive anti-fire capabilities.[1] They furthermore feature a crane capable of lifting 12 tonnes with a 14-metre (46 ft) reach, or 10 tonnes at 17-metre (56 ft).[3] This allows autonomous loading and unloading of standard containers,[16] a useful capability for humanitarian operations in disaster areas.[5]

Ships
Pennant no.NameLaid downLaunchedCommissionedHomeport
French Navy
A621D'Entrecasteaux25 April 201431 July 201525 March 2016Nouméa
A622 Bougainville2015 26 February 2016[17] 16 September 2016[18]Papeete[19]
A623 Champlain2015 22 August 2016[18] 4 July 2017Port-des-Galets
A624 Dumont d'Urville [8]July 201717 April 2020[20]Fort-de-France

Notes and references
  1. La DGA commande 3 bâtiments multi-missions (B2M) Archived 24 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Ministry of Defence
  2. De nouveaux bâtiments pour la Marine nationale Archived 26 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, opex360
  3. "Bâtiment Multi-Mission 65 m". Archived from the original on 6 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  4. Un B2M flambant neuf, "couteau suisse de la marine nationale", pour la zone océan Indien Archived 26 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Léia Santacroce, la1ere.fr
  5. CP - GPL >Un nouveau bâtiment multi-missions dans la zone océan Indien (La Réunion, Mayotte, TAAF) Archived 26 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Ministère des Outre-Mers (Overseas Ministry)
  6. Trois supply pour remplacer les Batral de la Marine nationale Archived 26 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, meretmarine.com
  7. "France receives first B2M-class vessel". Archived from the original on 2 April 2016. Retrieved 30 March 2016.
  8. "Un quatrième B2M pour la Marine nationale" Archived 25 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Le Marin, May 21, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  9. "Floréal Class Frigate, France". Archived from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  10. "Un B2M pour remplacer le Jacques Cartier". Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  11. Marine Garde-côtière : du BIS au BMM Archived 26 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, le Fauteuil de Colbert
  12. "Défense : DCNS et Piriou remportent le contrat des bâtiments multimissions de la Marine nationale". Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  13. "PIRIOU and DCNS together win the B2M contract for the supply and maintenance of three French Navy ships based overseas". Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  14. "PIRIOU et DCNS remportent ensemble le contrat B2M pour la fourniture et la maintenance de 3 navires basés outre-mer". Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 26 May 2015.
  15. Compte rendu n° 9 Archived 26 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Commission de la défense nationale et des forces armées, Mercredi 8 octobre 2014, Séance de 17 heures
  16. PIRIOU et DCNS remportent ensemble le contrat B2M pour la fourniture et la maintenance de 3 navires basés outre-Mer Archived 26 May 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Concarneau et Paris, le 9 janvier 2014
  17. "Le B2M Bougainville en achèvement à flot à Concarneau". Mer et Marine. 11 March 2016. Archived from the original on 18 July 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  18. Floch, Michel (21 September 2016). "Marine nationale : Le second B2M réceptionné". Mer et Marine. Archived from the original on 9 October 2016. Retrieved 8 October 2016.
  19. "Le premier B2M poursuit ses essais avant son départ pour Nouméa". Mer et Marine. 19 January 2016. Archived from the original on 22 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  20. "French Navy Final D'Entrecasteaux-Class BSAOM Vessel 'Dumont D'Urville' Enters Active Service". navalnews.com. 20 April 2020. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
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