The French Navy's first new BRF logistic support ship, Jacques Chevallier (A 725), started sea acceptance trials on 25 January. (Naval Group)
Chantiers de l'Atlantique has delivered the first of four new batiments ravitailleurs de forces (BRF) logistic support ships (LSSs), Jacques Chevallier (A 725), to the French Navy.
Announcing the formal handover, which took place at Chantiers de l'Atlantique's shipyard in Saint-Nazaire on 3 March, the French Navy said the ship would depart for Brest in the coming days before leaving the Atlantic, to reach its new home port in Toulon, on the Mediterranean coast, by the end of the month to continue its sea acceptance trials.
Jacques Chevallier is the first of four new BRFs being built for the French Navy by a consortium comprising Chantiers de l'Atlantique and prime contractor Naval Group under a contract awarded in 2019. Under the contract arrangement, Chantiers de l'Atlantique is building the aft sections of the four ships and is responsible for the overall production and outfitting of the ships, while Naval Group is responsible for the design, development, and integration of the combat system, which is centred around its Polaris combat management system. Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri has been subcontracted to build the forward sections of the ships in Italy.
Jacques Chevallier was laid down in December 2021, launched on 29 April 2022, and started initial sea trials in late January 2023. Following its delivery to the French Navy, sea acceptance tests will continue until June, after which the ship is planned to be officially commissioned in July.
Jacques Chevalier
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