Two CB90 fast patrol boats loaned by the Swedish Navy to the French Navy have arrived at the Brest naval base, Brittany, in western France, to take part in patrol missions within the harbor and along the coastline.
French Minister of Armed Forces press release
On Wednedsay 30th, July, the Brest naval base welcomed two Swedish-built CB90 fast attack craft, designed by SAAB. These boats, loaned by the Swedish Navy to the French Navy for a period of 18 months as part of a technical and operational cooperation agreement, complement the one already delivered to the Toulon naval base on July 15th. They reinforce the naval resources dedicated to defending France’s maritime approaches.
The CB90s will be operated by the French marine infantry battalion ‘Amyot d’Inville’. Their main mission will be to protect approaches, monitor and detect threats, and respond rapidly to any hostile situation.
This loan will enable the employability of these vessels to be assessed across a wide operational spectrum and will allow the CB90s to be tested in temperate waters, which differ from those encountered in Swedish waters.
This loan illustrates the close cooperation between the French Navy and its international partners, as well as the continuous adaptation of French capabilities to contemporary maritime security challenges.
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Naval News comment
Brest is the second French naval base in terms of size after Toulon. It hosts several FREMM frigates, MCM vessels, and other auxiliary ships including signal intelligence vessel ‘Dupuy-de-Lôme’. More importantly, Brest hosts the submarine deterrent force with its infrastructures and where are based the four SSBNs of the French Navy. Safety and maritime security around the this area is therefore truly reinforced.
Early July, the French Navy performed trials with the CB 90HSM while a French LHD was off Sweden as already reported by Naval News. The test period was described as an “extended period” of testing to determine whether the vessel is suitable for the needs of the French marine infantry units (known as Fusiliers marins) responsible for base protection as well as vessel protection.
The French Navy evaluation comes as the service is looking for a replacement for its “VFM” interceptor boats. While two “vedettes de fusiliers marins” were delivered from 2023, the DGA cancelled the contract with Brittany-based shipbuilder Ufast. The company eventually filed for bankruptcy in March 2024.
