French Navy's first new fleet replenishment ship embarks on maiden deployment

Jacques Chevallier has an overall length of 194 m, a full load displacement of 31,000 tonnes, and can carry up to 10,800 tonnes of fuel for ships and aircraft and 1,500 tonnes of solid cargo. (Guy Toremans)

Following the completion of a three-week operational sea training period, the first of the French Navy's four new fleet replenishment ships (Batiment Ravitailleur de Forces: BRF), Jacques Chevallier, departed Toulon naval base on 27 September to begin its four-month maiden operational deployment.

A French Navy spokesperson told Janes that after a brief stopover in Brest to pick up additional stores, the ship will make a port call at Reykjavík, Iceland, before heading to the US Navy's Norfolk Naval Station to conduct refuelling exercises with US Navy units.

The next two stages of its first operational tour will see the BRF call at Rio de Janeiro and, after crossing the Atlantic again, on to Cape Town. These port visits are supporting the Chantiers de l'Atlantique and Naval Group shipyards' export programme as France is offering the BRF design to both the Brazilian and South African navies.

Jacques Chevallier will then set sail for the Indian Ocean and, after a port call at la Réunion by the end of December, will pass through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal back into the Mediterranean. The ship is scheduled to return to Toulon on 2 February 2024 and its subsequent admission into active service. Throughout the four-month maiden deployment, Jacques Chevalier will conduct numerous exercises and is expected to take part in the European-led Operation ‘Atalanta' and the European Maritime Awareness in the Strait of Hormuz (EMASoH) mission Operation ‘Agenor', providing the participating ship logistic support.