According to a tweet published by the French MoD on May 11, 2023, the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) has received the Félix Éboué-class vessel (POM) Auguste Bénébig, in Nouméa, its homeport for the French Navy.
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Félix Éboué-class vessel (POM) Auguste Bénébig. (Picture source: French Navy)
The Patrouilleurs Outre-mer (POM), also known as the Félix Éboué class, is a type of patrol ship. These vessels are intended to be stationed at Nouméa, Tahiti, and La Réunion, serving as replacements for the aging P400-class patrol vessels, which are nearing the end of their operational lifespan.
She has a displacement of 1,300 tonnes (1,300 long tons) and measures approximately 80 meters (262 feet 6 inches) in length. The ship has a beam of 11.8 meters (38 feet 9 inches) and a draught of 3.5 meters (11 feet 6 inches).
With a maximum speed of 24 knots (44 km/h; 28 mph), the POM class patrol ship is capable of covering a range of 5,500 nautical miles (10,200 km; 6,300 mi). She is equipped with two 8-meter (26-foot) RHIB (Rigid-Hulled Inflatable Boat) for various landing and boarding operations.
The vessel has a capacity to accommodate up to 29 passengers and a complement of 30 crew members. In terms of armament, it is armed with a Nexter Narwhal 20 mm teleoperated gun and four machine guns, providing it with defensive capabilities.
Additionally, the Félix Éboué class patrol ship is capable of carrying an Airbus Aliaca Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS).
