Publication: Sapa Issued: Simons Town Date: 2008-01-24 Reporter: Embassy of France

French Surveillance Frigate Docks at Simon's Town

 

Publication 

Sapa
BC-PR-CORR-SIMONS-TOWN

Issued Simon's Town
Reporter Embassy of France
Date

2008-01-24
 


Issued by: Embassy of France

Attention: News Editors

For immediate release:

24 January 2008

The Embassy of France cordially invites members of the press to come on board the FS Nivôse, a surveillance frigate. There will be a *press conference and guided tour of the ship at 10 o'clock on Friday, 25 January at the Simon's Town naval base*.

Full Rear-Admiral Jacques Launay, joint commander for the Indian Ocean, will brief journalists on the missions undertaken by the French Navy in the Indian Ocean.

The FS Nivôse is an armed detection vessel, 93,5m in length. Her main missions are naval law enforcement to protect fish stocks, humanitarian missions *1 and patrols of the Indian Ocean. The captain of the frigate is Commander Rivičre.

*Note to editors :*

The FS Nivôse, the third of six surveillance frigates in the French Navy, is capable of a top speed of 20 knots. She has been in service since 1992 and is based at Port-des-Galets, Réunion island. She is capable of staying out on sea for 50 days and has a crew of about 90.

The FS Nivôse also carries a Panther attack helicopter and Exocet guided missiles *2 on board.


*Please confirm your attendance in advance for security purposes*:

Carolize Jansen, Media officer at the French Embassy
Tel. : (27 12) 425 16 80 Cell : 078 210 2597
carolize.jansen@diplomatie.gouv.fr

 

With acknowledgements to Sapa.
 


*1       Exocet guided missiles will certainly go a long way in protecting fish stocks and humanitarian missions by this 20 knot stalwart *3 of the Indian Ocean.

The Frenchmen don't take no prisoners.

But Pierre Moynot et cie expect some humanitarian treatment from Bulelani Ngcuka.



*2      And should be nicely stacked against another stalwart of the Indian and Southern Oceans, the Valour-class frigates of the SA Navy, also equipped with Exocet anti-ship missiles, just eleven Block II rounds and five Block I rounds between the four of them.