
The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) has awarded a contract to Zodiac International for 20 multi-purpose commando RIBs (ECUME) and four air delivery systems.
The twenty ECUME are each 9.3 metres long and fitted with twin in-board diesel engines. With an operating payload of seven tonnes they will be capable of carrying up to 12 people at speeds up to 40 knots. The new RIBs will meet the needs of French Navy commandos operating in three mission areas including special operations, air-sea operations and activities relating to the protection of the maritime approaches.
They will also be used for conducting law enforcement patrols as required. Their deployment capacity has been further enhanced with the inclusion of four air delivery systems (SLE) that enable command and assault versions of the ECUME to be air-dropped into operations.
The ECUME has been developed as a multi-mission platform that can be deployed individually or in groups. It is suitable for conducting raids from shore or from a naval vessel and can be deployed by OPV, TCD, PCB and FREMM-class frigates while carrying the wide range of weapons and equipment used by commandos. A major feature of the RIBs will include advanced radio communications capabilities that will also enable them to operate as a command post for naval operations if required.
The first of the new ECUME RIBs is scheduled for delivery to the DGA in November 2012. This will be followed by four months of comprehensive testing with preliminary acceptance anticipated for March 2013. This will be followed by another three months of final evaluation by French Navy Commandos of Lorient so that the launch of the range can be announced in June 2013. The remaining 19 boats will then be delivered from 2014 to mid-2015. The four air delivery systems (SLE) will be built and evaluated in parallel, from mid-2013 to 2015.