Inauguration of the Jacques Chevallier: The French Navy’s Pioneering BRF Supply Vessel
On 29 April, the initial vessel of the four force replenishment ships (BRF – Bâtiments Ravitailleurs de Force in French) under the FLOTLOG initiative was launched in Saint-Nazaire.
The Bâtiment Ravitailleur de Forces (BRF) Jacques Chevallier marks the first of a quartet of vessels designed for the French Navy. The contract was granted in January 2019 to Chantiers de l’Atlantique along with Naval Group. The quartet of ships will be delivered progressively until 2029.
The FlotLog initiative is a facet of Franco-Italian collaboration spearheaded by OCCAR for the French Defence Procurement Agency (DGA) and its Italian equivalent NAVARM, as part of the Logistic Support Ship (LSS) program.
The BRF Jacques Chevallier was showcased today in Saint-Nazaire. The event was attended by Laurent Castaing, General Manager of Chantiers de l’Atlantique, Pierre Éric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group, Matteo Bisceglia, Director of OCCAR, François Pintart, Director of Operations of DGA, and Admiral Xavier Baudouard, Commander of the French Naval Action Force.
Laurent Castaing, General Manager at Chantiers de l’Atlantique remarked:
“Our industrial capabilities allowed us to assemble the 20 modules of the BRF Jacques Chevallier’s hull in an astonishing time frame of 50 days. This showcases that our proficiency as constructors of civilian vessels can greatly benefit military projects regarding time, cost efficiency, and quality assurance.”
“Naval Group takes great pride in partnering once more with Chantiers de l’Atlantique in this European initiative. This BRF, the first within a series of four vessels, symbolizes strong Franco-Italian partnership. It also illustrates an effective collaboration between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group, merging their expertise to provide the DGA and the French Navy exemplary proficiency in both civil and military ship construction,”
Pierre Éric Pommellet, CEO of Naval Group
The initial sea testing is set to commence in the latter half of 2022, with the first unit’s delivery anticipated in the first half of 2023.
A Strategic Industrial Alliance Supporting the French Navy
The conception and manufacturing of the four vessels in the FlotLog program result from effective industrial collaboration between Chantiers de l’Atlantique and Naval Group, guided by OCCAR, in concert with the DGA and the French Navy.
Chantiers de l’Atlantique manages the comprehensive design and manufacturing of the four ships, ensuring the integration and application of the onboard systems. Naval Group is tasked with the design, development, and integration of the combat system and systems intended for accommodating aircraft and ammunition.
The BRFs, designed to supersede the French Navy’s Durance-class ships, will provide logistical support to the combat vessels of the French Navy participating in naval air groups or task forces. With a capacity of 13,000 m3, they will transport fuel, ammunition, spare parts, as well as provisions for the vessels. These tankers will also engage in supporting operations for allied missions, emphasizing the requirement for interoperable equipment. As a vital component of the fleet, these tankers will allow France to maintain a formidable ocean-going navy, capable of executing protracted operations far from national shores, thereby ensuring its strategic independence.
This new logistics fleet series is outfitted with self-defence capabilities. The combat systems of the quartet are architecturally based on Naval Group’s Combat Management System, ensuring protection against immediate threats and countering asymmetric surface and aerial risks.
In alignment with international standards, the BRFs will replace the current tankers with enhanced capacities and modern technologies to support the aviation group surrounding the aircraft carrier.
The Jacques Chevallier, named after the renowned naval engineer and pioneer of French nuclear propulsion, has a full-load capacity of 31,000 tons, making it the second heaviest ship in the French Navy, following the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. Its homeport will be in Toulon.
Key Features of the BRF Vessels
Gross tonnage: 28,700 GRT
Displacement at full load: 31,000 tonnes
Overall length: 194 m
Overall width: 27.60 m
Crew capacity: 190 individuals (including 130 crew members and room for 60 passengers)
Total deadweight: 14,870 tonnes
Freight volume: 13,000 m3
Total installed power: 24 MW
Artillery: 40 mm guns
Polaris® Combat Management System
