On September 13, 2024, the stakeholders in the construction of the second of four force supply vessels (BRF) of the “Logistics Fleet” (FLOTLOG) program, intended for the French Navy, met in Saint-Nazaire to celebrate the taking of command and the launching carried out on August 19.
The Jacques Stosskopf force supply vessel (BRF) is the second in a series of four ships intended for the French Navy, the order for which was notified in January 2019 by the Joint Armament Cooperation Organization (OCCAR) to the Temporary Joint Venture Group formed by Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group.
The FLOTLOG program is part of a Franco-Italian cooperation led by OCCAR on behalf of the French Directorate General for Armament (DGA) and its Italian counterpart NAVARM, within the Logistic Support Ship (LSS) program.
The BRF Jacques Stosskopf was launched on 19 August 2024 in Saint-Nazaire. The ceremony, which took place on September 13, celebrated the taking of command of the ship by Frigate Captain Sébastien Fajon as well as the launching, in the presence of Emmanuel Chiva, General Delegate for Armaments, Joachim Sucker, Director of OCCAR, Admiral François MOREAU, Inspector General of the Armed Forces – Navy, Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group and Laurent Castaing, CEO of Chantiers de l’Atlantique.
Laurent Castaing, CEO of Chantiers de l’Atlantique said: “The Jacques Chevallier has now been sailing for over a year to the great satisfaction of the Navy. The construction of civilian ships has forged the spirit of adaptability of Chantiers de l’Atlantique. The assembly phase of the Jacques Stosskopf was once again completed in a record time of 5 months, with a keel laying in mid-March, the installation of the last block in early June and a launch on August 19, 2024. Today, we are celebrating not only a new industrial milestone but also the synergy of skills with Naval Group within the framework of this European project.”
Pierre Éric Pommellet, Chairman and CEO of Naval Group, stressed that “The launch of this second BRF is further proof of the successful industrial cooperation between Naval Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique, and of the complementarity of their skills to offer the DGA and the French Navy the best expertise in the civil and military sectors. A European program, force supply vessels are also a symbol of Franco-Italian cooperation.”
Sea trials of the Jacques Stosskopf will begin next spring, with delivery scheduled for the end of 2025.
Construction of the third ship, named Emile Bertin, began at Chantiers de l’Atlantique in early 2024 and includes a section manufactured in Italy. Its delivery is scheduled for 2027.
The Jacques Chevallier, the first in the series, was delivered to the French Navy in July 2023.
A strategic industrial partnership serving the French Navy
The design and construction of the four ships of the FLOTLOG program is the result of successful industrial cooperation between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group, within the framework of the contractual management provided by OCCAR, in close collaboration with the DGA and the French Navy.
Naval Group and Chantiers de l’Atlantique are combining and leveraging their skills in order to offer the best of each of the two companies in the construction of these new supply ships.
Chantiers de l’Atlantique is responsible for the design, development, construction and commissioning of the powered platform, living areas, storage areas and essential functions related to the refueling at sea of the four ships, as well as the integration and assembly of the military systems developed by Naval Group.
Naval Group is responsible for designing, developing and integrating the ship’s military systems, including the combat system and the systems contributing to the aircraft and munitions loading capacity. The combat system of the four ships allows the ships to deploy autonomously to their area of operations, to provide protection against close-quarter threats and to fight against asymmetric threats.
The force supply ships (BRF) are designed to provide long-term support missions to the French Navy ships deployed on the high seas, within the carrier battle group or naval action groups. They have a greater cargo and fuel carrying capacity than their predecessors, the Durance-class ships. They are capable of providing nearly 13,000 m3 of fuel, ammunition, spare parts and food supplies on the high seas. These ships will also participate in support missions for inter-allied operations, highlighting the need for interoperable equipment. As the fleet’s umbilical cords, these supply ships will allow France to continue to have an ocean-going navy, capable of conducting long-term operations far from national territory and thus maintaining its strategic autonomy.