Francis Garnier (L9031)

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BATAL Francis Garnier
Career French Navy Ensign
Displacement: 770 t, 1330 t fully loaded
Length: 80 m
Width: 13 m
Draught: 3 m
Propulsion: Motorisation :
  • 2 diesel SACM Wärtsilä UD 33 V12 M4
  • 3600 hp (2650 kW)
  • 2 4-bladed propellers
  • Electric power

360 kW (2 DA x 180 kW)

Speed: 16 knots
Range: 4500 nautical miles at 13 knots
Complement:
  • 3 officers
  • 15 petty officers
  • 26 quarter-masters
Armament:
  • 2 40 mm anti-air guns
  • 2 12.7 mm machine guns
Electronics:
  • 1 DECCA 1226 navigation radar
  • Inmarsat system
Planes

The BATRAL ("Light ferry ship") Francis Garnier (L9031) is the second of a series of five vessels. She was launched on 17 November 1973 and commissioned on 24 October 1974. She is the fifth vessel of the French Navy named in honour of the officer and explorer Francis Garnier.

The BATRAL vessels are able to ferry over 400 tons of matériel, in the hangar and on the deck. Loading and unloading cab be done from a harbour or from a beach. Two flat-bottom vessels allow unloading 50 men and light vehicles each. The accommodations are designed for a Guépard-type intervention unit (5 officers, 15 petty officers and 118 men), or for typical company-sized armoured units.

A helicopter landing deck allows landing for light helicopters, and transfer from and to heavy helicopters.

She is based in Fort de France (Martinique). She has been used for humanitarian relief for 30 years, intervening on hurricane and tempest scenes in the Caraibs and Guyana. She is also part in the force projection system for interarm and interally operations, notably being engaged with the aeronaval group of the Charles De Gaulle during Opération Héracles, the French naval component of the Invasion of Afghanistan.