Confiance-class patrol vessel

The Confiance class or Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane (PAG), previously called "Patrouilleurs légers guyanais" (PLG, "Light Guyane patrol vessel") until January 2019[1] is a type of high sea patrol vessel developed and built by Socarenam based upon plans by Mauric. They are in service with the French Navy.

Résolue moored in New Orleans on 19 April 2018
Class overview
NamePatrouilleurs Antilles Guyane
BuildersSocarenam
Operators Marine Nationale
Preceded byP400 class
In commission2016–present
Completed3
Active3
General characteristics
TypePatrol vessel
Displacement700 tonnes (690 long tons)
Length60.8 m (199 ft 6 in)
Beam9.55 m (31 ft 4 in)
Draught3.2 m (10 ft 6 in)
Propulsion6,000 kW (8,000 hp) engine
Speed21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range3,500 nmi (6,500 km; 4,000 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Boats & landing
craft carried		2 × 7 m (23 ft) RHIB
Capacity14 passengers
Complement24
Armament

As of 2020, two of the ships, Confiance and Résolue, were based in French Guiana, while the third, Combattante, has her home port at Martinique.

History
Combattante at Saint-Malo

In 2015, the Direction générale de l'Armement ordered two light patrol ships from Socarenam, as well as six years worth of maintenance for each ship from CNN MCO. The aim was to replace the P400-class patrol vessels Gracieuse and Capricieuse, based at French Guiana. The contract was worth €17 million per ship, and €24 million including development and maintenance. The ships are tasked with policing fishing, as well as patrolling off French Guiana when Ariane rockets are being launched.[2] They are also designed to assist in policing drug trafficking using two rigid-hulled inflatable boats (RHIBs) capable of carrying special forces teams. The RHIBs are made by Zodiac Milpro International. In September 2017, a third ship, which had been pre-ordered as optional in the initial contract, was also ordered for €23 million. Order for the third ship came after Hurricane Irma exposed a weakness in French naval capabilities in the Caribbean Sea.[3]

The ships were based designs by Mauric and constructed at Socarenam shipyards at Saint-Malo. The hulls were then towed to their site at Boulogne-sur-Mer for fitting out, installing navigation equipment and mounting artillery.

In late 2022, La Résolue deployed to Saint Lucia to assist the French Red Cross in the face of floods that affected the north of the island. The ship deployed with 350 tonnes of food, clothing and hygiene kits to support relief efforts.[4]

Characteristics

The ships have a 24-sailor crew, and can accommodate 14 further passengers. The Confiance-class patrol vessels can stay at sea for up to 12 days. They are equipped with two RHIBs for boarding parties. One of the RHIBs can be launched from a ramp at the aft, and the other from a davit.

Armament constitutes a remote-operated Nexter Narwhal 20 mm (0.79 in) autocannon made by Nexter, as well as mountings for 12.7 mm (0.50 in) and 7.62 mm (0.300 in) machine guns.

Ships in class

As of 2020, the French Navy was operating three Confiance-class vessels.

Name Hull number Construction Launch Delivery Commissionning Home port
Confiance P733 2015 18 December 2015 25 October 2016 27 April 2017[5] Dégrad des Cannes (Guyane)
Résolue P734 2016 30 May 2017[6][7] 28 September 2017[8] Dégrad des Cannes (Guyane)
Combattante P735 2018 22 November 2018 2 October 2019[3] 23 January 2020 Fort Saint-Louis (Martinique)

See also

Notes and references
  1. Groizeleau, Vincent (16 January 2019). "La Marine nationale change les appellations de nombreux bâtiments". Mer et Marine (in French). Archived from the original on 16 January 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2019.
  2. Lagneau, Laurent (22 January 2014). "Focus sur les futurs patrouilleurs légers pour la Guyane de la Marine nationale". Opex360 (in French). Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  3. Groizeleau, Vincent (25 September 2017). "Un troisième patrouilleur du type PLG sera construit pour les Antilles". Mer et Marine (in French). Archived from the original on 25 September 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  4. "La Résolue Supports French Red Cross in Saint Lucia". Seawaves Magazine. 30 November 2022. Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  5. Sirpa Marine (28 April 2017). "Le CEMM décide l'admission au service actif du patrouilleur léger guyannais la Confiance" (in French). Ministère des Armées - Marine nationale. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  6. Groizeleau, Vincent (2 June 2017). "La marine prend la barre du PLG La Résolue, baptisé par Miss France". Mer et Marine (in French). Archived from the original on 27 September 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  7. Sirpa Marine (31 May 2017). "Première cérémonie des couleurs et prise de commandement à bord de La Résolue" (in French). Ministère des Armées - Marine nationale. Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
  8. Sirpa Marine (29 September 2017). "Mise en service du patrouilleur La Résolue". Mer et Marine (in French). Archived from the original on 8 April 2022. Retrieved 3 August 2022.
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