The first of seven Patrouilleurs Hauturiers (PH) offshore patrol vessels (OPV), being built for the French Navy (Marine Nationale), was spotted at the Piriou shipyard in Concarneau. We reached out to the French defense procurement agency (DGA) for an update on the programme.
While construction of the first-in-class vessel began in May 2024, recent pictures by local ship spotter C. des Déserts shows the hull fully assembled, marking a key milestone in the build process. Naval News reached out to the program director at DGA to find out more about the current status and progress on the “PH” programme.
Naval News: What is the current status of the programme?
DGA: The programme has been under construction since November 2023. Construction of the first 3 ships has begun in the three shipyards selected and grouped together in a temporary consortium, namely Piriou, CMN and Socarenam for phases 1 to 3. Naval Group is the design authority and prime contractor for the platform’s combat system and management system in particular.
Naval News: When will the first-in-class OPV be launched by Piriou?
DGA: The final launch of PH1 “Trolley de Prévaux” is scheduled for the first quarter of 2026.
Naval News: Has the construction of the vesssels at CMN and Concarneau shipyards started yet? When will they launch their respective hulls?
DGA: The PH2 “d’Estiennes d’Orves” and PH3 “Jeanne Bohec” began construction in February and June 2025 respectively. They will be launched at the beginning and end of 2027 respectively.
The Patrouilleurs Hauturiers Program
On November 17, 2023, the DGA ordered the first seven (7) vessels with the aim to renew the maritime surveillance and intervention vessel component of the French Navy. The new multi-mission combat patrol vessels, designed by Naval Group, will be manufactured collaboratively by PIRIOU, CMN, and SOCARENAM under the project management of DGA. Naval Group is ensuring, on behalf of the DGA, the monitoring of the construction of the patrol vessels. Preliminary design began in October 2020, with detailed design completed by October 2023. Construction of the first ship commenced on May 22, 2024 at PIRIOU’s Concarneau shipyard, with delivery now scheduled on April 2027 (initial schedule was late 2026). The final ship in this batch (of 7 ships) is scheduled for delivery in 2030, and an additional order for three more vessels is expected in the coming years in accordance with the 2024-2030 military planning law.
All vessels are slated to enter service by 2035 and will be named in honor of men and women who distinguished themselves during WWII except for one that will bear the name of the Île de Sein, the commune that sent all of her men to fight under the flag of French Liberation Army, becoming the example and symbol of all Brittany and was awarded the high honor of the Order of the Liberation.
New PH Offshore Patrol Vessel: Technical characteristics
With a displacement of around 2,400 tonnes and a length of 92 meters, the new versatile, multi-mission second-tier ships will be much larger (and much more capable) compared to previous generation vessels. They will be able to achieve a maximum speed of over 21 knots and an endurance of about 6,000 nm with their diesel-electric propulsion or 30 days of sea operations. The width is 14.2 meters and the draft 3.6m. They will accommodate 84 people (crew and passengers). The new platform lifetime is indicated in 35 years with a requested availability of 140 days at sea per year (aiming to 220) and total availability of 300 days per year.
For the equipment of the PHs, Naval Group developed and supplied the SETIS-C combat management system (CMS) and the SHIPMASTER surface ship automated operating system that ensures the control and monitoring of platform installations (the electrical plant and auxiliaries) and operating support systems (alert and safety systems). Exail supplies a comprehensive suite of navigation hardware, including Phins Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) and Netans Data Distribution Units (DDU). Thales provides the NS54 4D AESA multi-function X-band naval radar that equips the twelve (12) new generation MCMVs for the Netherlands and Belgium, the Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) TSA 3522 interrogator and BLUEWATCHER hull-mounted sonar (HMS).
These solutions will enable offshore patrol vessels to carry out their operational missions by providing active and passive surveillance against underwater threats, aerial surface surveillance, fire control and identification. The sonar is unusual on a patrol vessel but is expected to be introduced due to underwater threat increasing around French waters, the protection of SSBN operations (the OPVs will be dispatched ahead of the submarines as they leave port to provide intelligence and deterrence and act as scout vessels), and dual-use operations.
Regarding the configuration of the ship, directly above the ship’s bridge is the integrated mast, which houses the NS54 radar in a dome at its top. Flanking this are two navigation/surveillance radars (likely from Wartsila and Terma), meteorological sensors, two surveillance cameras, and communication antennas. Positioned directly in front, on a dedicated base, is a VIGY 4 lightweight and panoramic stabilized naval day/night observation system from Safran, while around the mast are SATCOM domes and various communication antennas.
In terms of weapon systems, the PH OPVs will be fitted with a Thales/KNDS RAPIDFire 40mm main gun and a MBDA SIMBAD RC VSHORAD system. Around the ship’s panoramic bridge are three of the four round antennas, integrated into the ship’s superstructure, of the HYDRA counter unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) from CERBAIR (the fourth antenna is located above the hangar facing aft), along with 12.7mm heavy machine guns and life-saving equipment. Above the hangar on the port side, a 7.62mm general-purpose machine gun is mounted.
