Mistral

The Mistral-class landing platform dock ships are the result of the NTCD program and will provide improved amphibious assault capability to the French Navy. They will carry up to 20 helicopters and two hovercraft (LCAC) or four LCMs with a flight deck enabled to accommodate up to 10 helicopters and 7 of them in operation mode (takeoff/landing). Each NTCD ship will accommodate one-third of a regiment armored vehicles. Two ships ordered under the NTCD program are being built using civil standards and technologies in order to reduce costs. The BPC Mistral was launched October 6, 2004, at DCN shipyards in Brest. The program last review increased the production costs to 570 million euros, ten million more than previously regarded. The Mistral-class ships will perform command, amphibious assault, logistic support, humanitarian evacuation, hospital ship (63 beds) and naval warfare missions. It will feature an advanced electric propulsion system with two 10,000 shp propulsors. The self-defense capability will consists of two 30mm guns, a 3D radar, 2 optronic surveillance and fire control systems, and an unspecified short range missile system. NTCD's fully-automated platform management system will offer enhanced safety as well as reduced crew to operate the ship. The BPC (Bâtiment de Projection et de Commandement / Projection and Command Ship) Mistral program comprising two ships, Mistral and Tonnerre, is worth €560 million ($702 million). The shipbuilding and outfitting works are being carried out at Saint-Nazaire by Alstom Marine (Chantiers de l’Atlantique) and at Brest by DCN, both shipyards in France. DCN is the prime contractor for the BPC Mistral program. The French Navy ordered two ships in December 2000 replacing Foudre and Sirocco amphibious assault ships.

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