French Customs receives final patrol boat
Mauric, in partnership with Socarenam, has delivered the last Vedettes Garde-Côte (VGC) 280 patrol boat, Mistral DF 28, to French Customs, the company announced on 18 April.
French Customs had four VGCs on order. The first three boats, Libecciu DF 25, Cers DF 26 and Vent d’Amont DF 27, were delivered during 2017-2018. Mistral is the final boat and will be homeported in Marseille.
The 28.1m wide vessels have a displacement of 100t and are equipped with two diesel engines of 1190kW each. Each vessel can accommodate up to 12 persons onboard. Its hull form has hydrodynamically optimsed bow that allows it to maintain a top speed of 22kt. The cruising speed is 18kt for a maximum range of 700 miles.
These vessels are equipped with machine gun, gyro-stabilised electro-optical system, and can deploy a 6.5m fast RHIB through anti-pendulum davit on the aft deck.
The vessels can be used for surveillance missions in coastal areas, to counter illegal activities and for assistance operations.
More from Naval Warfare
-
![FNSS looks to put uncrewed vehicles at the front of amphibious assaults]()
FNSS looks to put uncrewed vehicles at the front of amphibious assaults
The new platform is designed to put reconnaissance, obstacle clearance and fire support ahead of the crewed force in a contested landing.
-
![US turns to allies to tackle navy shipbuilding backlog]()
US turns to allies to tackle navy shipbuilding backlog
A White House memorandum acknowledges US Navy shipbuilding backlogs and a weakened industrial base, opening a formal path for South Korean and Japanese yards to help rebuild capacity.
-
![US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation]()
US Navy’s $275 billion BBGN plan hinges on shipyard transformation
The US Navy’s planned nuclear-powered warship carries a US$275 billion price tag, but the greater story lies in the industrial overhaul needed to build it, from AI-enabled design to digital twins and modular construction.
