Chantiers de l’Atlantique has launched the French Navy’s second Logistics Support Ship, the Jacques Stosskopf, in Saint-Nazaire.
The ceremony saw the initial float out of the vessel at the site as well as the appointment of the vessel’s future operator, Frigate Captain Sébastien Fajon.
The ship was named after a polytechnic and maritime engineer who played a key role in the French Resistance during the Second World War.
The serviceman accepted the French Resistance medal for his actions, the Legion of Honour as a commander, and the Croix de Guerre for his role during the First World War.
After the launch, the Jacques Stosskopf will be sent for sea trials next spring in preparation for its scheduled arrival in 2025.
“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, [and] the installation of the last block in early June,” Chantiers de l’Atlantique CEO Laurent Castaing remarked.
“Today, we are celebrating not only a new industrial milestone but also the synergy of skills…within the framework of this European project.”
Durance Fleet Tanker Replacement
France’s Logistics Support Ship or Bâtiments Ravitailleurs de Forces (BRF) program was introduced in the 2010s to replace the navy’s Durance-class replenishment oilers operational since the 1970s.
In 2019, the European Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation awarded Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group a contract to build up to four vessels for the effort.
The consortium began the construction in 2021, with the first vessel being launched the following year. Paris expects the completion of the fleet by the 2030s.
“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 [Directorate General of Armaments] and the French Navy the best expertise in the civil and military sectors,” Naval Group CEO and Chairman Pierre Éric Pommellet commented on the recent Saint-Nazaire ceremony.
The French Logistics Support Ship
The French Navy’s Logistics Support Ship measures 194 meters (636 feet) long and has a beam of 27 meters (89 feet).
It can accommodate approximately 200 personnel, including 140 crew members and up to 60 passengers, as well as a maritime helicopter and about 13,000 cubic meters (3.4 million gallons) of fuel.
The vessel is armed with short-range air defense systems and rapid-fire autocannons.
It has a top speed of 20 knots (37 kilometers/23 miles per hour) and a range of 7,000 nautical miles (12,964 kilometers/8,055 miles).
