On 12 August 2022, the DGA ordered a new generation coastal patrol boat for the maritime gendarmerie from the SOCARENAM and CNN MCO consortium.
The contract, for a maximum amount of €110 million, covers the development, production of up to 6 patrol boats and maintenance services in operational condition.
Delivery of the first vessel, which will be built in Boulogne-sur-Mer, is scheduled for the second half of 2024 in Cherbourg. The other 5 patrol boats will be destined for the metropolis (Cherbourg, Lorient and Toulon) as well as overseas (Pointe-à-Pitre and Papeete).
These multi-purpose patrol boats are intended to carry out maritime safeguard missions (maritime defence of the territory (DMT) and action of the State at sea (AEM), in particular maritime security, fisheries police, maritime interest and public order intelligence, detection of migratory flows).
Their missions involve many interventions with the sending of a control team on board the ships to the sea. That is why they are equipped with a fast boat of up to 40 knots.
The patrol boats are vessels with a displacement of about 350 tons in load, for a speed of up to 21 knots, with a daytime capacity of 25 people (including 15 crew members).
These vessels, with a length of 46 m, must allow to carry out missions of 7 days with 15 people without refueling and must be able to sail 180 days at sea per year.
Consistent with their missions, their armament is based on MAG58 machine guns and a 12.7 mm machine gun.
These vessels will be the first ships of the French Navy to have smoke treatment systems, reducing their nitrogen oxide emission rate.
