P400 class patrol vessel
Encyclopedia
The P400 patrol ships are small vessels of the French Navy
. They were designed to accomplish police operations in the large French Exclusive Economic Zone
.
The P400 were built by the Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie, which specialise in small military craft (they also built the Combattante, two swift "Patra" patrol boats, and numerous Combattante I and Combattante III missile attack craft, such as the FACM Class La Combattante III
).
Two similar ships are in service in Gabon
.
The P400 were originally designed in two versions: one armed with Exocet
MM38 missiles, and another public service version with a smaller 16-man complement; eventually neither of these versions was commissioned, the Navy choosing an intermediary version.
Most of these craft are pre-positioned in overseas territories (DOM
/TOM
) where they carry out sea monitoring missions and secured the EEZ
. They also execute missions in the context of French agreements with other nations, typically supporting foreign armies or carrying out humanitarian missions.
Since late 2008, ships of the D'Estienne d'Orves class
, with their heavy armament removed, are planned to replace the P400 in the high sea patrol role, a task for which the P400 have proved to be underweight. http://secretdefense.blogs.liberation.fr/defense/2008/10/exclusif-les-av.html
An unusual feature for ships of this size, the Operational Centre allows a complete monitoring of close surface situations, using radar indicators and tracking tables.
The engine can now be monitored remotely, which allows for a smaller crew. The maintenance of the ship was simplified notably by choosing those solutions which allow to clean the ship whilst in populated areas.
The P400 can stay 15 days at sea, and have 20 days of food supplies for 28 men.
.
The first problem that occurred related to the carter reductor, then with the transmission, and eventually with a piston
-- this last item being the most worrying, since it was probably a symptom of a conception problem. This shed a bad light on Alstom
who were trying to compete against German motors by MTU. French humourist Coluche
came up with the witty remark Après l'Audacieuse, la Boudeuse, la Capricieuse,… voici venu le temps de la Dépanneuse ! (After the Audacieuse, the Boudeuse, the Capricieuse, time has come for the Tow-Truck!).
After these problems were solved, larger exhaust pipes had to be fixed (originally, exhaust was vented underwater to minimise infra-red signature, but it turned out that the ship was taking water from these openings).
After further studies, it became possible to gain the space of one propulsion compartment, which is now used for cargo and personnel. The ships can ferry 20 people, and up to 60 for short travel with a calm sea.
In May 2009, Fougueuse arrived in Brest to be decommissioned, the first of the P400 to be taken out of service.
In February 2011, it was decided that 8 P400 will be equipped with new engines. Previously, these ships were scheduled to retire according to Jane's Navy International. They will repair to ensure renewal of their operation until 2020. Earlier, the French Navy had intended to retire these ships in the period from 2010 to 2014. The reason for extending the service life of ships of this class is the desire to reduce the cost of procurement of new weapons.
Currently the ships are equipped with two diesel engines «SACM-Vartsila» UD30 V16 M3. The new engines will be delivered to France's Mother Boda and installed by "Piriu Naval Service» (PNS - Piriou Naval Services) in a 10-year contract worth 30 million euros (39 million dollars). The first of the modernized ships should be returned to the French Navy by March 2011. PNS also undertakes restoration of these ships.
French Navy
The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...
. They were designed to accomplish police operations in the large French Exclusive Economic Zone
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
.
The P400 were built by the Constructions Mécaniques de Normandie, which specialise in small military craft (they also built the Combattante, two swift "Patra" patrol boats, and numerous Combattante I and Combattante III missile attack craft, such as the FACM Class La Combattante III
FACM Class La Combattante III
Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante III refers to four ships ordered by Greece in September 1974 from France. There are similar to the Fast Attack Craft Missile Class La Combattante IIa, but are bigger and armed with torpedoes...
).
Two similar ships are in service in Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
.
The P400 were originally designed in two versions: one armed with Exocet
Exocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
MM38 missiles, and another public service version with a smaller 16-man complement; eventually neither of these versions was commissioned, the Navy choosing an intermediary version.
Most of these craft are pre-positioned in overseas territories (DOM
Département d'outre-mer
An overseas department is a department of France that is outside metropolitan France. They have the same political status as metropolitan departments. As integral parts of France and the European Union, overseas departments are represented in the National Assembly, Senate, and Economic and Social...
/TOM
Territoire d'outre-mer
The term overseas territory , is an administrative division of France and is currently only applied to the French Southern and Antarctic Lands....
) where they carry out sea monitoring missions and secured the EEZ
Exclusive Economic Zone
Under the law of the sea, an exclusive economic zone is a seazone over which a state has special rights over the exploration and use of marine resources, including production of energy from water and wind. It stretches from the seaward edge of the state's territorial sea out to 200 nautical...
. They also execute missions in the context of French agreements with other nations, typically supporting foreign armies or carrying out humanitarian missions.
Since late 2008, ships of the D'Estienne d'Orves class
D'Estienne d'Orves class
The A69 type Avisos are small warships mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions . Built on a simple and robust design, they have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions...
, with their heavy armament removed, are planned to replace the P400 in the high sea patrol role, a task for which the P400 have proved to be underweight. http://secretdefense.blogs.liberation.fr/defense/2008/10/exclusif-les-av.html
Design
The P400 are fitted with a hydraulic crane capable of lifting 2,5 tonnes. This allows to use them for anti-pollution operations, by embarking and debarking equipment and anti-pollution chemicals, and to lift out small craft whilst at sea.An unusual feature for ships of this size, the Operational Centre allows a complete monitoring of close surface situations, using radar indicators and tracking tables.
The engine can now be monitored remotely, which allows for a smaller crew. The maintenance of the ship was simplified notably by choosing those solutions which allow to clean the ship whilst in populated areas.
The P400 can stay 15 days at sea, and have 20 days of food supplies for 28 men.
History
The engines of the P400 have been a constant source of technical problems since the maiden journey of the lead ship Audacieuse to DakarDakar
Dakar is the capital city and largest city of Senegal. It is located on the Cap-Vert Peninsula on the Atlantic coast and is the westernmost city on the African mainland...
.
The first problem that occurred related to the carter reductor, then with the transmission, and eventually with a piston
Piston
A piston is a component of reciprocating engines, reciprocating pumps, gas compressors and pneumatic cylinders, among other similar mechanisms. It is the moving component that is contained by a cylinder and is made gas-tight by piston rings. In an engine, its purpose is to transfer force from...
-- this last item being the most worrying, since it was probably a symptom of a conception problem. This shed a bad light on Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
who were trying to compete against German motors by MTU. French humourist Coluche
Coluche
Michel Colucci , better known as Coluche, was a French comedian and actor, famous for his irreverent sense of humour....
came up with the witty remark Après l'Audacieuse, la Boudeuse, la Capricieuse,… voici venu le temps de la Dépanneuse ! (After the Audacieuse, the Boudeuse, the Capricieuse, time has come for the Tow-Truck!).
After these problems were solved, larger exhaust pipes had to be fixed (originally, exhaust was vented underwater to minimise infra-red signature, but it turned out that the ship was taking water from these openings).
After further studies, it became possible to gain the space of one propulsion compartment, which is now used for cargo and personnel. The ships can ferry 20 people, and up to 60 for short travel with a calm sea.
In May 2009, Fougueuse arrived in Brest to be decommissioned, the first of the P400 to be taken out of service.
In February 2011, it was decided that 8 P400 will be equipped with new engines. Previously, these ships were scheduled to retire according to Jane's Navy International. They will repair to ensure renewal of their operation until 2020. Earlier, the French Navy had intended to retire these ships in the period from 2010 to 2014. The reason for extending the service life of ships of this class is the desire to reduce the cost of procurement of new weapons.
Currently the ships are equipped with two diesel engines «SACM-Vartsila» UD30 V16 M3. The new engines will be delivered to France's Mother Boda and installed by "Piriu Naval Service» (PNS - Piriou Naval Services) in a 10-year contract worth 30 million euros (39 million dollars). The first of the modernized ships should be returned to the French Navy by March 2011. PNS also undertakes restoration of these ships.
Ships
- P682 Audacieuse (Degrad des CannesDegrad des CannesDégrad des Cannes is the main seaport for the French Overseas department of French Guiana, situated in the northern edge of South America and opening into the Caribbean. The seaport is located on the estuary of the Mahury River....
) - P683 Boudeuse (La RéunionLa ReunionLa Reunion may refer to:* La Reunion , a communal settlement near present-day Dallas, Texas*La Réunion, Lot-et-Garonne, a town in the Lot-et-Garonne department of France*Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar...
) - P684 Capricieuse (Degrad des CannesDegrad des CannesDégrad des Cannes is the main seaport for the French Overseas department of French Guiana, situated in the northern edge of South America and opening into the Caribbean. The seaport is located on the estuary of the Mahury River....
) - P685 Fougueuse (Fort-de-FranceFort-de-FranceFort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
) - P686 Glorieuse (NouméaNouméaNouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
) - P687 Gracieuse (Fort-de-FranceFort-de-FranceFort-de-France is the capital of France's Caribbean overseas department of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao.-Geography:...
) - P688 Moqueuse (NouméaNouméaNouméa is the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. It is situated on a peninsula in the south of New Caledonia's main island, Grande Terre, and is home to the majority of the island's European, Polynesian , Indonesian, and Vietnamese populations, as well as many Melanesians,...
) - P689 Railleuse (PapeetePapeete-Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront...
) - P690 Rieuse (La RéunionLa ReunionLa Reunion may refer to:* La Reunion , a communal settlement near present-day Dallas, Texas*La Réunion, Lot-et-Garonne, a town in the Lot-et-Garonne department of France*Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean east of Madagascar...
) - P691 Tapageuse (PapeetePapeete-Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront esplanade*Bougainville Park -Sights:* Interactive Google map of Papeete, to discover the 30 major tourist attractions in Papeete downtown.*The waterfront...
)