The Mistral
France
Builders:	Brest arsenal and St-Nazaire dockyards
Operators:	Marine nationale
Preceding class:	Foudre
Commissioned:	December 2005
Ships in Class
Ships in class:	2
Ships in active service:	Mistral, Tonnerre
General Characteristics
Class type:	Amphibious transport dock
Displacement:	16,500 t (empty) 21,300 t (full load) 32,300 t (with ballasts) Image File history File links fr (original): Le Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement (BPC) Mistral au mouillage à Brest (12 février 2005). ... Image File history File links Civil_and_Naval_Ensign_of_France. ... Image File history File links Civil_and_Naval_Ensign_of_France. ... Navy officers on the bridges of the Motte-Picquet frigate French Navy summer uniforms Frigate division of the French Navy in Toulon harbour The French Navy (Marine Nationale) is the second-largest Western European navy (the largest being the Royal Navy). ... The Foudre type vessels are landing platforms of the French Navy. ... The Mistral (L9013) is an amphibious assault helicopter carrier of the French Marine Nationale, the fourth vessel to bear the name, and lead ship of her class. ... The Tonnerre (L9014) is an amphibious assault helicopter carrier of the French Marine Nationale, the fourth vessel to bear the name, and second ship of her class. ... An amphibious transport dock (also called a landing platform dock or LPD) is an amphibious assault ship, a warship that embarks, transports, and lands elements of a landing force for expeditionary warfare missions. ...
Length:	199 m
Beam:	32 m
Draught:	6,3 m
Propulsion and power:	Motorisation : 2 Mermaïd electric motors (2 × 7 MW), 2 5-bladed propellers Electrical plant: 3 Wärtsilä diesels-alternators 16 V32 (6,2 MW) + 1 Wärtsilä Vasaa auxiliary diesel-alternator 18V200 (3 MW)
Speed:	18.8 knots
Range:	10,800 km at 18 knots, 19,800 at 15 knots
Boats and landing craft carried:	4 CTM (chaland de transport de matériel) alternatively, 2 LCAC (Landing Craft, Air Cushion)
Capacity:	450 passengers (900 for a short cruise) 150-man operational headquarter
Complement:	20 officers, 80 petty officers, 60 Quarter-masters
Armament:	2 Simbad systems 2 30 mm Breda-Mauser guns Landing craft Rapière A landing craft is a type of boat used to convey infantry and vehicles on to a shore during an assault from sea to land. ... SIMBAD (the Set of Identifications, Measurements, and Bibliography for Astronomical Data) is a database of astronomical information about objects within the Milky Way. ... 4 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns
Sensors:	DRBN-38A Decca Bridgemaster E250 navigation radar MRR3D-NG air/surface sentry radar This article is about the . ... 2 optronic fire control systems
Aircraft complement:	16 heavy or 35 lights helicopters

The Mistral type is a class of assault helicopter carriers of the French Navy, capable of deploying 16 NH90 or Tigre, or 35 Aérospatiale Gazelle. They have amphibious capabilities, and carry four landing barges and 70 vehicles, including a 13-tank strong Leclerc batallion. They also have a fully capable 69-bed hospital. Jeanne dArc, French navy Helicopter carrier is a term for a warship (an aircraft carrier) whose primary purpose is to operate helicopters. ... The French Navy, officially called the National Navy (French: Marine Nationale) is the maritime arm of the French military. ... The NHI NH90 is a twin-engine, ten-ton multi-role helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries, a company established by Agusta, Eurocopter and Stork Fokker Aerospace. ... The Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by the Eurocopter Group. ... This article is about the helicopter. ... The gunners position, looking down from the turret roof. ...

Two ships of the class are in service in the French Navy : the Mistral and the Tonnerre. The Mistral (L9013) is an amphibious assault helicopter carrier of the French Marine Nationale, the fourth vessel to bear the name, and lead ship of her class. ... The Tonnerre (L9014) is an amphibious assault helicopter carrier of the French Marine Nationale, the fourth vessel to bear the name, and second ship of her class. ...

Medical capabilities

The Mistral features a fully capable 69-bed hospital (as much as a 40 000 inhabitant town), with a triage room, a shock room, two surgery rooms, a room for treatment of burn injuries, a telesurgery room, and radiology equipments including a scanner. The examples and perspective in this article or section may not represent a worldwide view. ...

In normal time, the ship has a medical doctor, two nurses, and 19 medicalised beds. The helicopter hangar can be converted to a campaign hospital to improve medical capabilities. If needed, modular elements can be added to provide four surgical rooms and accommodate a 100-person medical team, including 12 surgeons.

Construction

The Mistral was constructed in two segments, the bow part in Saint-Nazaire, and the aft part in Brest. She uses a completely electric propulsion system, with two pods at the aft and one manoeuver pod at the bow; this allows for a turning radius of 289 metres. The ship remains almost horizontal when she turns, and can manoeuver efficiently even at small speed, which eases helicopter operations. Built according to civilian standard, the Mistral is compatible with MARPOL antipollution requirements. Saint-Nazaire is also a commune of the Gard département of France. ... Brest (lol) is a city in Brittany, or the Bretagne région, north-west France, sous-préfecture of the Finistère département. ... Ship Pollution is an abbreviated form of the Protocol of 1978 Relating to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution From Ships, 1973. ...

The space for the crew and passengers is unusually large, since the Mistral is designed to spend three month at sea in a row, is accordance to the "mobile base" doctrine. The ship features a purpose sport room and large common areas. The crew lives in 4-person cabin fitted with sanitary equipment, which allows the ship to accommodate a mixed crew.

Military equipment

The Mistral is equipped with combat detection systems linked to a SENIT 9 system which allows integrated sharing of information between units of a fleet. The communication systems and other equipments allow the Mistral to host a 200-person general staff.

She is capable of deploying 16 NH90 or Tigre, or 35 Aérospatiale Gazelle helicopters, and has reinforced forward pod, as to be able to accommodate 30-tonne helicopters such as the CH-53E Super Stallion ; four landing barges or two LCAC ; and 70 vehicles, including 13-tank Leclerc batallion, with up to 450 soldiers (900 for a short period). The NHI NH90 is a twin-engine, ten-ton multi-role helicopter manufactured by NHIndustries, a company established by Agusta, Eurocopter and Stork Fokker Aerospace. ... The Eurocopter Tiger is an attack helicopter manufactured by the Eurocopter Group. ... This article is about the helicopter. ... A CH-53E Super Stallion taking off from the deck of the USS Saipan Designated S-80E internally by the Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation, the Marine Corps CH-53E Super Stallion, and the Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon are the largest and heaviest helicopters in the United States military. ... Landing craft Rapière A landing craft is a type of boat used to convey infantry and vehicles on to a shore during an assault from sea to land. ... The gunners position, looking down from the turret roof. ...

The Mistral features light, short-range missile and cannons for last resort self-defence.

Export

A modified version of this design is in the running for the new Canberra class large amphibious ships for the Royal Australian Navy. The Australian government has approved a AU$2 billion project to build two Canberra class large amphibious ships for the Royal Australian Navy. ... The Royal Australian Navy (RAN) is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. ...

The Indian navy has also expressed interest in the design of the Mistral type.

Images

Construction site of the Projection and Command vessel Mistral, being assembled in the dock n°9 of the Brest arsenal (10 September 2003) Image File history File links File links The following pages link to this file: Mistral class landing platform dock FS Mistral FS Tonnerre ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...	The bow block of the Projection and Command vessel Mistral has been convoyed to Brest after leaving the Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire on the 17th of July. The block then entered the watered pool n°9 where the aft block was. The assembly can now begin (19 July 2004). Image File history File links fr (original): Le bloc avant du Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement (BPC) Mistral, après avoir quitté les chantiers de lAtlantique à Saint-Nazaire le 17 juillet, a été convoyé jusquà Brest. ... July 19 is the 200th day (201st in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 165 days remaining. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...	Launching of the Mistral Projection and Command vessel in Brest (6 October 2004) Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...	Launching of the Mistral Projection and Command vessel in Brest (6 October 2004) Image File history File links fr (original): Le lancement du Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement (BPC) Mistral à Brest (6 octobre 2004). ... October 6 is the 279th day of the year (280th in leap years). ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Projection and Command vessel Mistral in Brest Harbour (12 February 2005) Image File history File links fr (original): Le Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement (BPC) Mistral au mouillage à Brest (12 février 2005). ... February 12 is the 43rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• globalsecurity.org
• DCN.fr
• Meretmarine.com