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Hello everyone and welcome to this new section.
Today, I’m presenting the second Caribbean-Guianese patrol vessel (PAG) of the La Confiance class, the Résolue.
The Résolue (P734) is a light patrol vessel (PAG, Caribbean-Guianese patrol vessel) built for the French Navy as part of the effort to strengthen the French maritime presence in its overseas territories. Ordered in 2015, it was built by the French shipyard Socarenam and launched in 2016, before officially entering service in March 2017. The Résolue was initially the second and last of the class after La Confiance; however, a third (and currently final) vessel was ordered in 2019 following a hurricane in the Caribbean that highlighted the vulnerability of the French fleet in the region.
Designed primarily for operations in French Guiana, La Résolue was built to carry out a wide range of maritime sovereignty missions, including fisheries surveillance, combating illegal gold mining, environmental protection, and fighting illicit trafficking. The ship’s design prioritizes endurance, versatility, and autonomy, enabling it to patrol vast maritime areas for extended periods. Equipped with modern communication and surveillance systems, it ensures real-time coordination with French forces operating on land and at sea.
Based in Dégrad-des-Cannes, like La Confiance, near Cayenne, La Résolue is a cornerstone of French maritime surveillance in French Guiana, a strategic region due to its long Atlantic coastline, the presence of the Guiana Space Centre (CSG), and its abundant marine resources. The ship’s high endurance and rapid deployment capability are enhanced by the use of an ECUME fast intervention craft, enabling a swift response to illegal activities at sea. These characteristics make La Résolue an essential asset for operations such as combating smuggling, supporting internal security forces, and protecting space launches.
La Résolue and the other ships of its class embody a new generation of French patrol vessels: modular, high-performing, and robust, perfectly adapted to the complex realities of tropical maritime zones. Its range, maneuverability, and modern systems make it a model for future patrol vessels intended to assert France’s presence and sovereignty over its overseas territories.
Characteristics
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Length : 60.8 m
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Width : 9.55 m
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Draft : 3.20 m
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Mass : 700 tons
The vessel is powered by two 8,050 hp ABC 12 DZC diesel engines, enabling it to reach a top speed of 21 knots. Its cruising range is 3,500 nautical miles at a speed of 12 knots.
Its crew consists of 24 sailors and 14 other people can be carry by the ship.
Equipment
The exact equipment present on the ship is not known due to its modernity, however two navigation radars can be visually identified above the maneuvering bridge.
Weapons
This ship being a modern coastal patrol vessel, its armament is limited, however, due to its modernity, it allows it to defend itself against ships better armed than it.
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1 x 20mm Narwhal-20B (the 20 mm remotely operated turret in the front allows targeting targets at long distances with a wide range of ammunition, the gun used is the Giat M693)
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2 x 12.7 machine gun (machine guns are on each side of the bridge to defend the ship against close targets)
In this game, this second ship of the La Confiance class would be an interesting addition, bringing to the French tree a modern ship with weak but effective combat capabilities, allowing it to engage all types of targets effectively.
Sources
- Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane | Ministère des Armées
- La Résolue navigue sur le fleuve Amazone | Ministère des Armées et des Anciens combattants
- Le bateau patrouilleur “La Résolue” des Antilles et de la Guyane a un nouveau commandant
- Mise en service du patrouilleur La Résolue | Mer et Marine
- La Confiance class Offshore Patrol Vessel OPV French Navy
- LA CONFIANCE patrol ships (2016-)
- Patrouilleur Léger Guyanais classe La Confiance - Contre Livre Blanc 2008-2013
- 20mm Giat M693 | Weaponsystems.net
- 20mm Giat M693 | Weaponsystems.net