Despite a slight delay caused by the health crisis (Covid-19), the FLOTLOG program (Fleet logistics) is progressing well. More than three years after being launched with an order notified in January 2019 (1.7 billion euros), the 31,000-tonne supply vessel (BRF) Jacques Chevallier, the first in a series of four ships intended for the National Navy, was floated Friday in Saint-Nazaire. Derived from the Italian Vulcano program, FLOTLOG, led by OCCAr (Joint Organization for Cooperation in Armaments), was entrusted to the temporary consortium of companies formed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group. “It is also a new successful cooperation between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group, which combine their skills in order to offer the DGA (General Directorate of Armaments, editor’s note) and the French Navy the best expertise in the sectors civil and military in the construction of ships of more than 8,000 tons”, underlined the CEO of Naval Group Pierre Éric Pommellet.
Based in Toulon, the BRFs will be the heaviest ships in the French Navy, after the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. This new fleet aims to provide the French Navy with the means to simultaneously deploy a carrier battle group as well as one or two naval groups (amphibious group or maritime traffic protection group) while guaranteeing the deterrence posture.
Delivery first half of 2023 The delivery of the Jacques Chevallier, named in tribute to the father of French nuclear propulsion and former general delegate for armaments, is expected in the first half of 2023 (against initially the end of 2022) after the first sea trials planned for the second half of 2022. Deliveries of the following three BRFs will be staggered until 2029: the second should be delivered in 2025, then the third in 2027, and finally the fourth in 2029, according to the schedule made public in 2018. current military programming law (LPM) provides for the delivery of two BRFs by the end of 2025. However, the French Navy expected this program in its fleet much earlier (between 2017 and 2020), the design launch file having was approved in November 2009.
“Our industrial tool allowed us to assemble the 20 hull blocks of the BRF Jacques Chevallier in the record time of 50 days in the hold, which demonstrates that our expertise acquired in the construction of civilian ships can greatly benefit the military field in terms of time, cost and quality control”, explained the managing director of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Laurent Castaing. Chantiers de l’Atlantique is responsible for all of the design and construction of the four vessels and is responsible for the integration and assembly of the on-board systems. Naval Group is in charge of designing, developing and integrating the combat system and the systems contributing to the reception capacity of aircraft and the loading of ammunition. The French Navy’s new Swiss army knife The BRF (190 people, including 130 crew members and 60 passengers), which will replace the Durance class ships, are intended to provide long-term support missions to Navy ships deployed on the high seas, within the carrier battle group or naval action groups. They will have to be able to supply nearly 13,000 m3 of fuel, ammunition, spare parts and food on the open sea over a long period of time, day and night and whatever the weather conditions. These ships will also take part in missions in support of combined operations, highlighting the need for interoperable equipment. True umbilical cords of the fleet, these supply ships will allow France to continue to have an oceanic navy, capable of conducting long-term operations far from national territory and thus maintaining its strategic autonomy. The new series of the logistics fleet comes with self-defense capability. The combat system of the four ships, based on Naval Group’s Combat Direction System, makes it possible to deploy autonomously to their area of operations and to deal with asymmetric, surface and air threats. Compliant with international standards (double hull), the BRFs will replace the current oil supply tankers, with increased capacities and modern equipment in order to fully ensure the specific support missions of the carrier battle group formed around the aircraft carrier.
Michel Cabirol 30 Apr 2022, 10:35