France: OPV Gowind L’Adroit to Use Lethal, non Lethal Weapons

The OPV Gowind L’Adroit is intrinsically a powerful means of dissuasion and action to ensure maritime security. The L’Adroit can be equipped with lethal and non lethal guns and other weapons, all true assets when used at the right time and place.

The French Navy equipped the L’Adroit with a 20 mm gun hosted on the foredeck of the ship. With an outreach of roughly 2 km, the gun is operated manually. The ship is designed to be equipped with any range of guns up to the remote controlled 76 mm with a 10 km outreach. According to the nature of the ship’s missions, users are free to decide which weapons to choose.

« The gun can be used for warning or on target shots – for example when a smuggler is caught engaged in an illegal action », explains Henri Leclerc from DNCS’ engineering. Whether shooting explosive or inert shells, whether firing single or multiple bullets, the gun is as dissuasive as dangerous. No wonder its use obeys a strict code of conduct.

The Gowind OPV can also be equipped with other lethal or non lethal weapons. Specially designed for this purpose, the wings on both sides of the ship host two water guns with an outreach exceeding 200 meters. Small caliber weapons reaching out from 500 meters to 1 kilometre as well as powerful loudspeakers known as « LRAD » (long range acoustic devices) can also be fitted on L’Adroit’s wings. Non-lethal weapons have a proven efficiency when it comes to destabilizing, hindering and preventing illegal acts.

Last but not least, the OPV’s design makes it possible to host 2 double surface to surface missile ramps (SSM40) on the front deck if required.

[mappress]
Naval Today Staff, November 23, 2011; Image: dcns