The Directorate General of Armaments, the procurement agency of the French Ministry of Armed Forces, has selected local shipbuilder Chantier Naval Couach for the construction of a new class of 24 coastal patrol vessels.
France's National Gendarmerie police force, particularly its Maritime Gendarmerie unit, will be the operator of the vessels. Design work on the vessels is being undertaken by local naval architecture firm Mauric.
Each vessel will have a length of 22 metres, a maximum displacement of 50 tonnes, a top speed of 22 knots, and space for up to 10 crewmembers and other personnel.
There will also be space at the stern for deploying and recovering a small fast boat for interdiction missions.
The gendarmerie vessels will be capable of maritime law enforcement, counter-trafficking patrols, environmental protection, and search and rescue.
The first vessel is scheduled to be delivered in 2029. Five of the vessels will be deployed overseas in French Guiana, Mayotte, and New Caledonia.
