Products

Mistral family LHD

MISTRAL LHD, a ship designed for joint and coalition operations

Particularly optimized to facilitate a heavy traffic of equipment, vehicles and troops during embarkation/disembarkation phase, MISTRAL BPC (LHD) is a multi-mission ship allowing force projection from the sea while acting as a joint HQ command ship. Designed for crisis management in peace time or wartime, it provides humanitarian support to civilian population at any place of the littoral even when all harbour infrastructures are no more available. True “floating hospital”, it can then deal with the medical needs equivalent to a town of 40,000 people.

An operation proven ship
The French Navy currently operates two ships: Mistral and Tonnerre BPC. Commissioned in 2006 and 2007, these vessels have already sails on all seas and oceans and been part of joint operation even in close to wartime situation. Operational capacities have been demonstrated in Lebanon, 2006 “Baliste” operation: The BPC Mistral evacuated thousand of civilians while supporting the UN task force acting for peacekeeping.

A third unit Dixmude BPC is currently under construction and will be handed over to the French Navy in 2012.

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Mission

A diplomatic and political tool

At the beginning of the 21st century, naval defence takes new faces with more and more complex operations in faraway overseas theatres. Humanitarian and/or joint missions require an increased transport capacity with the capability to reconfigure the ship underway to fit with a changing situation on the ground, and thus a tenfold adaptability.

With its flexibility to fulfil various transport capacities required, BPC Mistral raises these new challenges. Its ultramodern hospital, equipped with two operating theatres, comply with the highest NATO standards.

Force projection, humanitarian support and peacekeeping operation need to be command from the sea and this sometime for long period. This is the reason why the BPC Mistral offers modular spaces and highly efficient interoperable communication means to host an embarked joint HQ permanently linked with the troops on the ground. As a result, NATO has certified and used this capacity of command ship.

Features

An innovative ship

First “all electric” ship in service within the French Navy, the BPC Mistral is fitted with two 360° rotating PODs providing an unmatched manoeuvrability.

A ships’ family

The BPC Mistral family is declined in two versions, each of them allowing various adaptations:

BPC 210

Length : 199 m
Beam : 32 m
Displacement : 21,500 t
Propulsion : All electric, 2 pods
Passengers/troops: 450 à 700
Helo flushdeck: 6 spots
Below deck helo hangar capacities : 16 (NH90, Tigre,etc.)

BPC 140

Length : 169 m
Beam : 30 m
Displacement : 14,000 t
Propulsion : Various configurations available
Passengers/troops: > 400
Helo flushdeck: 5
Below deck helo hangar capacities : 6 (NH90, Tigre,etc.)

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