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French military police From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Vedettes côtières de surveillance maritime (VCSM, "coastal boats for sea surveillance") are swift craft of the French Gendarmerie maritime. 24 boats of the type have been commissioned. They are based in various harbours of France, and are used for coast guard duties ranging from rescue to military tasks, including monitoring of pollution, sea police, and interception of illegal immigrants and drug traffickers.
Patrol boat Huveaune in the old harbour of Marseille. | |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Vedette côtière de surveillance maritime |
| Operators |
|
| Subclasses | RPB 20 for export |
| In commission | 11 June 2003 |
| Completed | 30 |
| Laid up | 1[1] |
| General characteristics | |
| Type | Swift boat |
| Displacement | 31 to 41 t (31 to 40 long tons) |
| Length | 20 m (65 ft 7 in) |
| Beam | 5.29 m (17 ft 4 in) |
| Draught | 2.89 m (9 ft 6 in) |
| Speed | 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) |
| Range | 500 nmi (930 km; 580 mi) |
| Endurance | 4 days |
| Complement | 8 |
| Sensors and processing systems | Radar |
| Armament | Light infantry weapons, FM AANF1 |
The VCSM carry a custom-designed rigid-hull tender in a well deck. This deck can be converted into a helicopter airlift zone.
The boats do not carry heavy armament, but light machine guns can be installed when needed. In addition, infantry small arms are carried by the crew.
The ships in Gendarmerie maritime service are named for rivers of the harbours in which they were initially based.
These ships include:
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