The French Navy’s logistics support ship (LSS) Jacques Stosskopf has started its sea trials, according to the Organisation for Joint Armament Co-operation (OCCAR).
As disclosed, the vessel is the second French ship of the LSS program, and the milestone represents the final phase before the delivery of the ship at the end of the year. The LSS’ forward section was launched at the Castellammare di Stabia (Naples) shipyard in 2023.
In the coming days, acceptance tests will be conducted by industrial contractors in the presence of OCCAR LSS Programme Division staff members, DGA experts, and French Navy personnel to verify the compliance of onboard platform systems and equipment with their operational requirements.
It will be followed by additional sea trial sessions in the Atlantic and in the Mediterranean before the final delivery in Toulon, France.
The Franco-Italian Logistic Support Ship (LSS) Program, managed by OCCAR on behalf of the French Armament General Directorate (DGA), and its Italian counterpart, NAVARM, aims at developing and producing six ships (two for Italy and four for France) along with in-service support (ISS), with an option for a third ship for the Italian Navy.
France fully joined the program in January 2019 with the signature of the ProgD Amendment, and the French Global Contract for four Logistic Support Ships signed by OCCAR in January 2019.
The first of the class, LSS Jacques Chevallier, was launched in April 2022. The delivery to the French Navy took place in 2023.