CNIM to build 14 amphibious landing craft for French Navy

French contractor CNIM announced it has been selected to deliver fourteen new Standard Amphibious Landing Crafts (EDA-S) to the French Navy in collaboration with Socarenam, Mauric and CNN MCO.

The EDA-S are to be built over a ten-year period, the company said.

“Winning this European tender reasserts CNIM’s status as experts in amphibious craft design. CNIM is to replace the French Navy’s existing landing craft with fourteen new Standard Amphibious Landing Craft, also called EDA-S,” noted Philippe Demigné, a CNIM board member.

These vessels will conduct amphibious operations from the well decks of Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, carrying troops, military equipment or vehicles. They will be able to take part in logistics operations, depending on their location.

They are also designed to evacuate citizens and recover air-dropped equipment during humanitarian missions.

Eight EDA-S craft will be assigned to the amphibious flotilla (FLOPHIB) based in Toulon, replacing the existing equipment transport barges (CTM). The EDA-S, along with four EDA-R craft which are already in service, will be carried aboard BPC amphibious assault ships.

The other six EDA-S will be deployed overseas, replacing various logistics barges based in Djibouti, Mayotte, Nouméa, Fort-de-France and Kourou.

CNIM will design the EDA-S with support from the engineering consultants Mauric, the Socarenam shipyard in Saint-Malo will build and fit out the EDA-S while CNN MCO will provide maintenance services.

When confirmed, the overall EDA-S programme (including design, production and through-life support) will extend over a ten-year period. It comprises a firm tranche, covering the design and supply of six EDA-S craft (20 months for the first two, and 18 months for the following four) and a number of conditional tranches covering the construction of 8 EDA-S craft as well as support services for the whole fleet.