Replenishment ships are a strategic element that extends the range and mission endurance of naval platforms without returning to the port.
The French Navy cut the first steel under the Bâtiments Ravitailleurs de Force (BRF) Project for ships to replace the Durance-class platforms that have reached the end of their economic life. With the ceremony attended by French Defence Minister Florence Parly, the process of building new ships began.
In the process to be carried out within OCCAR, four replenishment tankers will be built, which developed from the Vulcano class, within the needs of the French Navy. Vessels that will be capable of carrying materials and fuel in a volume of 13,000 cubic metres; it will be delivered in 2022, 2025, 2027 and 2029. The fully loaded displacement of the platforms, which will be 194 meters long, will be 31,000 tons. The ships, which will have an additional carrying capacity of 60 people, as well as 130 crew members, will have machines that will produce 24 MW of power.
