- Francis Garnier (L9031)
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 theFrench Navy named in honour of the officer and explorerFrancis Garnier .The BATRAL vessels are able to ferry over 400 tons of matériel, in the hangar and on the deck. Loading and unloading can 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.ee also
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Italian colonial ship Eritrea External links
* [http://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/content/download/44607/445125/file/presentation_au_format__pdf_francis_garnier_l9031.pdf]
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