French ship Somme (A631)
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| Somme (A631) in Toulon harbor, 2005
Somme (A631) in Toulon harbor, May 2009
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| History | |
|---|---|
 France |
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| Name: | Somme |
| Namesake: | Somme river |
| Laid down: | 3 May 1985[1] |
| Launched: | 3 October 1987[1] |
| Commissioned: | 7 March 1990[1] |
| Homeport: | Toulon |
| Identification: |
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| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Durance class |
| Type: | Replenishment oiler and command ship |
| Displacement: |
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| Length: | 157.2 m[2] |
| Beam: | 21.2 m[2] |
| Draught: |
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| Propulsion: | 2 × Two Pielstick 16 PC2-5 V 400 diesel engines,[2] two shafts |
| Speed: | 19 knots (35 km/h)[2] |
| Range: | 9000 nmi at 15 knots (28 km/h)[2] |
| Complement: |
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| Sensors and processing systems: |
2 DRBN 38 radars[2] |
| Electronic warfare & decoys: |
1 SLQ-25 Nixie towed jammer[2] |
| Armament: | |
| Aviation facilities: | Medium helicopter pad |
The Somme (A631) is a Durance class command and replenishment ship (French: Bâtiment de commandement et de ravitaillement, BCR) of the French Navy.
In addition to its primary duty as a fleet tanker, the Somme is configured as a flagship. Serving as the command vessel for the French forces participating in Operation Enduring Freedom, the Somme was attacked approximately 250 nautical miles (460 kilometres) off the Somalian coast in the night of 6 to 7 October 2009 by two motorboats of Somalian pirates who mistook the Somme for a civilian ship. The Somme repelled the assault rifle attack without sustaining damage or casualties and captured five of the pirates.[3]
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Somme (A631). |
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