MAST Asia 2017: CNIM Showcasing its L-CAT Ship to Shore Connector
 
JMSDF French Navy Marine Nationale L CAT CNIM Mast Asia Japan 2 At MAST Asia 2017 (Maritime Air Systems & Technologies), the naval defense exhibition held last week in Tokyo, French company CNIM was showcasing its L-CAT Ship to Shore Connector.
 
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MAST Asia 2017 Online Show Daily - CNIM L-CAT
 
 
 
MAST Asia 2017: CNIM Showcasing its L-CAT Ship to Shore Connector
 
At MAST Asia 2017 (Maritime Air Systems & Technologies), the naval defense exhibition held last week in Tokyo, French company CNIM was showcasing its L-CAT Ship to Shore Connector.
     
JMSDF French Navy Marine Nationale L CAT CNIM Mast Asia Japan 1A French Navy EDA-R Landing Catamaran with a Mistral-class LHD in the background. Picture: CNIM
     
The L-CAT Ship-to-Shore (designated EDA-R in the French Navy) is a sea & combat proven landing craft. It is in active service since 2011 in the French Navy and since 2016 in the Egyptian Navy. It proves each day its ability to support the Armed Forces on a global scale for both military and civilian assistance operations.

Measuring 30 meters long and 12.6 meters wide, the L-CAT Ship-to-Shore offers a maximum payload capacity of 100 tons. It can reach speeds of up to 30 knots when empty, and 18 knots when loaded to maximum payload. During amphibious operations, it guarantees optimal transit speed, rapid loading and unloading of the deck, and thus a reduction of threat exposure time, while enabling a mother ship to remain a safe distance from the coastline if necessary.
     
JMSDF French Navy Marine Nationale L CAT CNIM Mast Asia Japan 2A French Navy EDA-R Landing Catamaran about to enter the well deck of the JMSDF Osumi LST during a combined exercise in 2015. Picture: French Navy
     

On two occasions, the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) had the opportunity to test the L-CAT during combined operations with the French Navy. The first time in May 2015 in the East China Sea during the Kitsune 2015 exercise and more recently during the "Jeanne D'Arc 2017" deployment around the islands of Guam and Tinian as well as in Sasebo, home of the JMSDF headquarters.

These two combined exercises were the occasion for the JMSDF to experience the operational capabilities of the L-CAT designed by CNIM. During the most recent exercise, the L-CAT of the French Navy performed flawlessly.