French Navy Seeks Support for New Patrol Vessel

PARIS — The French Navy is hoping a heightened awareness of the sea’s importance in global economics and politics will win support for buying a new generation of offshore patrol vessels (OPVs), even as the fiscal outlook darkens. “France has the second-largest maritime domain after the U.S., and that brings obligations and duties,” Adm. Bernard Rogel, French Navy chief of staff, told Defense News. “That’s one of the challenges of the OPV program there. Today, it’s hard to define the priorities, but I am in the middle of the renewal of part of the French fleet.” The Navy wants the new OPV to enter service in 2017 to replace an aging fleet of some 20 diverse light frigates, patrol and fisheries protection boats, Rogel said. In the interim, the Navy has secured initial funding of 554 million euros ($725.7 million) for a gap-filler, namely, eight ocean supply vessels under the...

Full article: http://www.defensenews.com/article/20121020/DEFREG01/3102...

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