- Yes
- No
Hello everyone and welcome to this new suggestion!
Today I’m proposing a new ship for the French coastal fleet.
The P.140 Iris (P696) is a coastal patrol vessel originally designed for anti-aircraft warfare. The ship was developed as a proposal by Thomson-CSF, with the objective of creating a compact naval platform capable of defending ships and maritime infrastructure against modern aerial threats.
This concept became particularly relevant in the aftermath of the Iran–Iraq War, during which anti-ship missiles were increasingly used, including against civilian shipping and offshore oil installations. To address this threat, the Iris was designed around a simplified Crotale surface-to-air missile system, combined with an anti-aircraft gun turret. With this configuration, the vessel was intended to engage a wide range of targets, from aircraft to sea-skimming cruise missiles, providing an effective point-defense solution for naval groups or sensitive maritime areas.
The vessel was built by the CMN shipyard in Cherbourg, with construction beginning in 1988, and it entered service with the French Navy in 1989. Despite its capabilities, the Iris remained a unique ship, serving primarily as a technology demonstrator rather than a fully operational combat unit. During its early career, the vessel was notably used to travel to several Gulf countries in order to demonstrate its systems and concept to potential clients.
In 1996, the Iris underwent a major refit that transformed it from an experimental anti-aircraft platform into a maritime patrol vessel. Following this conversion, it was transferred to the French Maritime Affairs administration (Affaires Maritimes), where it continues to operate today in maritime surveillance roles. Although no official retirement date has been announced, a replacement vessel has recently been ordered, marking the eventual end of the long and unusual career of the Iris.
Characteristics
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Length : 46.00 m
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Width : 8.5 m
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Height : 2.3 m
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Mass : 230 tons
The vessel is powered by two MTU V16 diesel engines, each with 2080 hp, allowing it to reach a maximum speed of 24 knots. Its electrical power is supplied by two additional generator sets. Its cruising range is estimated at 3000 nautical miles at a speed of 12 knots. The crew consists of 10 sailors.
Equipment
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Radar :
- Triton air and sea surveillance radar
- SHAHINE air surveillance and acquisition radar (Navalized version of the radar sold to Saudi Arabia along with their Crotale missile systems)
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Sonar :
- The vessel is equipped with a fishing vessel sonar system, which allows it to determine the depth of the water below its hull.
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Camera :
- The Crotale targeting system is installed on the ship, along with a TV camera and an IR camera for target acquisition and tracking for the weapon system.
Weapons
As this ship was a technology demonstrator, it was presented with various gun systems in frontal armament, ranging from the twin 35mm Oerlikon guns (same guns as on the Guépards for example) to the 76mm automatic anti-aircraft gun, a caliber much more common on ships of this type.
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Gun :
- 1 Anti-aircraft turret (different models were tested)
- 2 x 35 mm Oerlikon guns
- 2 x 40 mm Bofors guns
- 1 x 76 mm Otobreda gun (76/62 Compact, max range 16km, 85° of elevation, round : HE, HE-VT MOM, SAPOM)
- 1 Anti-aircraft turret (different models were tested)
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Missile :
- 1 Crotale launcher with 8 VT1 missiles
In the French tech tree, this ship would be an extremely valuable addition, providing a modern warship with good anti-aircraft capabilities, while also being able to effectively defend itself against naval threats with its 76mm gun. This would complement the existing French coastal warfare branch.
It would also be interesting to be able to change the main turrets in order to test the different weapon systems integrated on this ship.
