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Further Reading

Foudre class dock landing ships

The planned building the two ships of project TCD-90 began with the lead ship of the series, L9011 Foudre, which was placed on the shipyard of firm DCN in g. Brest 26.03.1986. Foudre was launched 19.11.1988, and entered service 07.12.1990. The second ship of this type L9012 Sciroco is also built on shipyard DCN in g. Brest. Laying took place 09.05.1995 g., descent to the water - 14.12.1996 g., it entered system 21.12.1998.

The two transport de chalands de débarquement [TCD] Foudre and Siroco, integrated into the amphibious group of the FAN (Force of naval action), have the principal role the transport and the unloading of soldiers and military hardware. They also have of hospital installations and command. They also can serve as maintenance, repair and logistics ships.

The weakness of the means of command embarked of the TCD STORM and HURRICANE justified the use of the standard TCD the Foudre for the operations of large scale. But even those, when they were employed as command centers were to sacrifice a significant share of their transport capacity (occupation partial or total of the foundation raft by shelter) and the need for buildings adapted better to this task appeared very clearly.

Their basic difference from the ships of the type Ouragan is the presence of hangar for the assault-transport helicopters, the flight deck of the large area, with which is possible the simultaneous takeoff of two helicopters of the type AS.332 Super Puma, and also the special accomodations in the superstructure for the transportable technology (aboard the ships of the type Ouragan technology it is placed in the dock camera on the assault-landing craft or instead of the latter).

Since the end of the cold war the operational activity of the TCD did not cease growing. Implied in the war of the Gulf, in the Operation BALBUZARD [OSPREY] in the Adriatic in complement then to replace the air and sea group, they were part of all the operational deployments and transported many terrestrial means at the time of various crises in particular those of Kosovo (Foudre) and Timor (Sirocco) in 1999.

During year 2000, the TCD took part in a half-dozen multinational exercises, in multiple missions of reinforcement or presence in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic or Indian Ocean and has various national exercises. They also constituted the principal tool for presetting off Africa when the political tensions forced consideration of an evacuation of nationals (mission CORYMBE).

The Foudre class landing platform dock provides substantial carrying capacity, each ship being capable of landing and supporting a mechanised armoured regiment of the French rapid deployment force. In this role, the vessel features: a well- deck accommodating one mechanized landing craft (LSM) and four medium-sized landing craft (LCMs), or ten LCMs four 9-ton helicopters housed in the main onboard hangar a cargo of tanks, vehicles and stores. The three main missions of the Foudre class are the landing of infantry and armoured vehicles on unprepared coasts, mobile logistic support for naval forces and humanitarian missions.

The ship is armed with two Simbad twin missile launchers for the Mistral surface-to-air missile; and armed with three OtoBreda/Mauser 30 mm/70 calibre guns capable of firing 6 kilogram shells at a firing rate of 800 rounds per minute. The guns are integrated with two VIGY 105 optronic weapon control systems supplied by Sagem, which include thermal imager, TV camera and laser rangefinder. To meet military and humanitarian requirements, Foudre class ships provide hospital facilities for large-scale medical and evacuation missions. The hospital facilities include two fully equipped operating theatres and 47 beds.

The ship's complement is 210 crew with 13 officers and the ship provides accommodation for 226 crew members, and 467 passengers or troops. With 700 crew and passengers, the ship has an endurance of 30 days. In times of crisis the ship can accommodate up to 1600 people. The ship's propulsion system provides a maximum speed of 21 knots. At an economical speed of 15 knots the range is 11,000 miles. On 26 July 2010 the President of the Republic confirmed that the order for the fourth building projection and command of the Mistral type would not come early, as was the case for PCB 3. The decision is not surprising in the current context but the announcement had the merit to formalize things. Baptized Dixmude, the ship, which was initially to be done after 2015, was commissioned in advance phase in April 2009 on the economic recovery plan. It was, then, giving work to Nazairie sites, shops closed due to lack of new orders. Two ships have since been signed by STX France with MSC Cruises and GNMTC.

The fourth PCB remains under the next act of military programming (2015-2020). Nicolas Sarkozy indicated that this ship would be delivered to the Navy in 2019/2020. Until then, the French fleet include therefore the PCBs Mistral, Thunder and Dixmuide (in-service in 2012), as well as transport of LCUs Siroco, operational since 1998. The sister ship of the Siroco, la Foudre lightning (1990), will be disarmed with the entry into service of the Dixmude. Considering its age, this SHT will probably not be sent to the demolition. France aims to sell it to a foreign Navy. Argentina, which had considered a few years to acquire the TCD hurricane and storm (prior to waiver due to asbestos) might be interested.