France Awards €1.7Bn Order for Four Replenishment Tankers

New Fleet Supply Vessels Ordered for the French Navy

(Source: French Armed Forces Ministry; issued Jan 31, 2019)

(Unofficial translation by Defense-Aerospace.com)

France has ordered four replenishment tankers derived from the “Vulcano” design being built by Fincantieri for the Italian Navy. They will be jointly built in France by Chantiers de l’Atlantique (formerly STX) and Naval Group. (NG image)

PARIS --- The Minister of the Armed Forces, Florence Parly, had emphasized at Last October’s Euronaval show, the need for the French Armed Forces to be able to count on a strong, renewed and efficient logistics fleet. Act has followed speech, with today’s order for four logistic supply ships.

The Directorate General of Armaments (DGA), France’s defense procurement agency, today announced that OCCAR, the Joint Organization for Armaments Co-operation, had awarded a 1.7-billion euro contract for the Logistic Support Ship program on January 30, 2019.

This contract is part of the "Fleet Logistics" (FLOTLOG) program. It will replace the French Navy supply ships currently in service with four new, more efficient vessels. The 2019-2025 Military Planning Law provides for the first two units to be delivered by 2025.

FLOTLOG's objective is to replace the current single-hull oil tankers that entered service in the 1970s and 1980s with modern, double-hulled and internationally compliant vessels. The new four tanker ships will sustain the ships deployed on the high seas (aircraft carriers, amphibious helicopter carriers, frigates) by supplying them with fuel, ammunition, spare parts and food.

These new vessels will be derived from the design of the ship “Vulcano” Logistic Support Ship being built for the Italian Navy, within the framework of a cooperation managed by OCCAR, acting on behalf of France and Italy. The DGA contract was awarded to Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group.

OCCAR manages several equipment programs on behalf of France and Italy, either through bilateral cooperation (multi-mission frigates and air defense systems) or through cooperation with other countries, like the medium-altitude, long endurance (MALE) drones and ESSOR software radio program.

This order follows the signature on 23 October 2018, by the Director-General of Armaments Joel Barre and his Italian counterpart Secretary General Nicolò Falsaperna, of the Franco-Italian Logistic Support Ship agreement, in the presence of French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly and Elisabetta Trenta, the Italian Defense Minister.

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Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group to Build Four Naval Replenishment Tankers for the French Navy

(Source: Naval Group; issued Jan 31, 2019)

The temporary consortium formed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group has been notified of an order for four Logistic Support Ships (LSS) and of their first six years of operational maintenance.

This order for the French Navy is part of the Franco-Italian LSS Programme led by OCCAr, the international Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation, on behalf of DGA, the French Defence Procurement Agency, and of its Italian counterpart NAVARM.

The delivery of these ships will take place between the end of 2022 and the beginning of 2029.

A signing ceremony with the representatives of the stakeholders took place today.

These tankers, with a fuel capacity of 13,000 m3, have the mission to provide logistical support to the French and allied navies’ combat vessels. They will carry fuel for vessels, jet fuel for aircraft, weapons and ammunition, spare parts, as well as food. The ships will also be equipped with waste management solutions and repair workshops.

Their characteristics will adapt as well to their specific missions in support to the aviation group constituted around the aircraft-carrier Charles de Gaulle.

The design of the vessels will be based on the Italian LSS Vulcano (already under construction by Fincantieri), the first ship of the Italian-French Logistic Support Ship (LSS) programme managed by OCCAR.

The industrial organisation of this major programme will mobilise the industrial capabilities of both nations.

Chantiers de l'Atlantique is in charge of the design and construction of the ships. Given the current heavy load of Chantiers de l'Atlantique and in order to enhance industrial synergies, the construction of the forward hull section of the vessels could be outsourced to Fincantieri.

"Through this order, our expertise in the design and construction of complex ships, civilian or military, is acknowledged once again," said Yves Pelpel, SVP, Naval Programs, Chantiers de l’Atlantique. "After the construction of the Mistral, Tonnerre and Dixmude LHD platforms, we are proud to contribute again, in partnership with Naval Group, to the modernisation of the French Navy's fleet.”

Naval Group is responsible for the design, supply and integration of the combat and military systems (aviation, ammunition, immunisation). The company is also responsible for certain functions such as cyber security, electromagnetic compatibility, etc.

Jean-Luc Ferrandi, VP, Business Director France of Naval Group, stated: "This token of confidence demonstrates the common ability of Naval Group and Chantiers de l'Atlantique to propose competitive global offers for the construction of heavy tonnages.”

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