PIRIOU, DCNS Secure Contract for Three Vessels

PIRIOU and DCNS have together won the contract for the supply of three multi-mission ocean-going vessels, with an option for a fourth, and the associated maintenance services.

This contract, awarded by French defence procurement agency DGA, with PIRIOU as lead contractor, is part of the B2M multi-mission ship programme. It covers the design and construction of three multi-purpose ocean-going ships, 65 metres long and displacing around 1500 tons, to be delivered in 2015 and 2016.

PIRIOU is responsible for the design and the construction of the ships. DCNS is co-contractor with PIRIOU for the military aspects of the design studies and the supply of the onboard communications systems (SITIP), and will be responsible for in-service support (ISS) of each ship for up to 6 years.

The joint proposal by PIRIOU and DCNS was submitted before the establishment of KERSHIP, the joint venture set up in the spring by the two companies, but KERSHIP may be given the responsibility of fulfilling the contract.

The new ships will have a top speed of 12 to 15 knots. They will have a long endurance of approximately 30 days of operation without replenishment. The vessels will carry a work boat about 8 metres long and semi-rigid boats, and will have a crane for loading and unloading containers. They will also be capable of deploying divers and carrying weapons and munitions.