The French Navy has received two EDA-S amphibious standard landing crafts from compatriot equipment manufacturer CNIM.
The agreement between the company and the French Defense Procurement Agency (DGA) was signed in 2019. Deliveries of the following twelve EDA-S will run until 2025.
Eight EDA-S are planned to be sent to the Toulon amphibious flotilla to replace the existing MTCs. The other six will be deployed overseas to replace other units in French Navy bases in Guyana, Mayotte, Martinique, New Caledonia and Djibouti.
EDA-S are compact vessels with a length of 28.8 meters and a width of 6.7 meters. The design of the EDA-S had three objectives: simplicity, robustness and reliability.
Operated by four crew members, they feature a roll-on/roll-off design. Their two doors allow vehicles to embark either from the front or from the back side on a working deck occupying the entire length of the ship. Their increased capabilities, compared to the MTCs, allow them to carry out navigations on the high seas and a greater range of activities.
EDA-S offer greater navigation performance, both in terms of maneuverability and autonomy, according to the officials.
The delivery of the first two EDA-S follows successful trials on land and at sea, that began in the summer of 2021 and were conducted by DGA experts with the support of the navy’s operational staff. These tests made it possible to validate the ability of the EDA-S to embark and disembark all types of transport vehicles and armored vehicles.
CNIM is designing the EDA-S with support from the engineering consultants Mauric, the Socarenam shipyard in Saint-Malo will build and fit out the EDA-S while CNN MCO will provide maintenance services.
These vessels will conduct amphibious operations from the well decks of Mistral-class amphibious assault ships, carrying troops, military equipment or vehicles. They will be able to take part in logistics operations, depending on their location.
They are also designed to evacuate citizens and recover air-dropped equipment during humanitarian missions.