Naval Systems

Confiance-class patrol vessel

Also known as
  • La Confiance-class patrol vessel
  • Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane
  • PAG
  • Patrouilleur Léger Guyanais
  • PLG

The Confiance-class patrol vessel is a French Navy offshore patrol vessel class built by Socarenam from MAURIC designs for overseas sovereignty patrols in Guyane and the Antilles. The three 61-meter PAG ships combine a 20 mm remote weapon station, heavy machine guns, fast craft, navigation sensors, and pollution-response capacity for EEZ surveillance, fisheries policing, anti-trafficking, space-launch security, and crisis-response missions.

Confiance-class patrol vessel, Offshore patrol vessel class, Naval Systems
Image source: 2017FAG 028 004 Confiante.jpg | Wikimedia Commons

Role in Conflicts

2022 Haitian Gang Conflict
Force ProtectionMobility & Logistics
Side
Foreign evacuation and support forces

The French Navy says PAG La Combattante integrated with the Jeanne d'Arc task group in March 2024 and directly protected the Operation Pauline dispositif that enabled voluntary departure assistance for French and European nationals in Haiti.

Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
France
Built by
Socarenam
Type
Offshore patrol vessel class
Service note
2017-present
Designer
Mauric
Number built
3

Specifications

Displacement
776 tonnes
Length
61 metres
Beam
9.5 metres
Draft
3.2 metres
Crew
23 sailors; capacity up to 38 crew and passengers
Speed
21 knots
Range
3,200 nautical miles at 12 knots
Propulsion
Diesel-electric propulsion with two diesel motors, two electric motors, and two bow thrusters
Armament
One 20 mm remotely operated gun and two 12.7 mm machine guns
Mission equipment
Navigation radars, satellite communications, fast craft, and pollution-response equipment capacity
Class Ships And Mission Fit

The French Navy groups the three PAG vessels as sovereignty patrol ships for Guyane and the Antilles, with missions spanning EEZ surveillance, fisheries policing, anti-trafficking, space-launch security, pollution response, and protection of people and goods.

Guyane basing

La Confiance (P 733) and La Résolue (P 734) are listed at Dégrad des Cannes for Guyane patrol work.

Antilles basing

La Combattante (P 735) is listed at Fort-de-France, adding a Martinique-based PAG after Hurricane Irma exposed a maritime-response gap.

Boarding and response

Official and builder pages describe fast craft, a 20 mm remote gun, heavy machine guns, sensors, satellite communications, and pollution-response capacity.

ShipHullBaseService note
La ConfianceP 733Dégrad des CannesLead Guyane-based ship; in service from 2017.
La RésolueP 734Dégrad des CannesSecond Guyane-based ship; commissioned in September 2017.
La CombattanteP 735Fort-de-FranceThird PAG, added for the Antilles and admitted to active service in January 2020.

Sources: Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane - Ministère des Armées; Launching ceremony of La Combattante, the third PAG | MAURIC; Liste des navires de la Marine nationale, 1er avril 2025.

Carried Remote Weapon Station

La Confiance-class patrol vessels carry a bow-mounted Narwhal 20 mm remote weapon station.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
Narwhal 20 mm remote-controlled turret, 20 mm naval remote weapon station, Naval SystemsNarwhal 20 mm remote-controlled turretNaval remote weapon station

Naval News reported modernization studies for Narwhal 20B systems fitted aboard the three La Confiance-class PAG patrol vessels.

Sources: Nexter & Naval Group to Upgrade Narwhal RWS on all French Navy Vessels | Naval News

20mm GIAT M693 autocannon, French 20 mm autocannon chambered for 20x139mm NATO rounds, Infantry Weapons20mm GIAT M693 autocannonAutocannon

Army Recognition says La Confiance mounts a Nexter Narwhal 20 mm remote weapon station at the bow, and Seaforces identifies Narwhal 20B as the M693-based French Navy version.

Sources: French Navy Guyana-based Light Patrol Vessel PLG La Confiance is now on active duty, KNDS Nexter Narwhal-20 Naval Remote Weapon Station NWS

Carried Machine Guns

The class is documented with two 12.7 mm machine guns in its armament.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
12.7 mm heavy machine gun, Belt-fed, crew-served heavy machine gun class, Infantry Weapons12.7 mm heavy machine gunHeavy machine gun

The French defense ministry page for the class lists two 12.7 mm machine guns among its armament.

Sources: Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane - Ministère des Armées

Compatible Machine Guns

Army Recognition describes the class's secondary weapon stations as able to receive 7.62 mm machine guns.

Compatible itemItem typeCompatibility evidence
7.62 mm machine gun, Belt-fed general-purpose / vehicle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun class, Infantry Weapons7.62 mm machine gunMachine gun

Army Recognition says the La Confiance-class secondary weapon stations can receive a choice of 7.62 mm machine guns.

Sources: French Navy Guyana-based Light Patrol Vessel PLG La Confiance is now on active duty

Timeline

Confiance-class patrol vessel Key Events

  1. Lead ship enters service

    La Confiance entered French Navy service as the lead ship of the class, beginning the PAG patrol-vessel presence in French Guiana.

    Sources: Category:La Confiance class patrol ships | Wikimedia Commons, Un nouveau commandant pour le patrouilleur Antilles Guyane La Confiance | Marine nationale

  2. La Résolue commissioned

    The French Navy commissioned La Résolue, the second Confiance-class vessel, in French Guiana to strengthen regional patrol coverage.

    Sources: French Navy commissions second La Confiance-class vessel in French Guiana

  3. La Combattante command ceremony

    MAURIC says the third PAG, La Combattante, held its assumption-of-command ceremony in Saint-Malo before heading toward Fort-de-France.

    Sources: Launching ceremony of La Combattante, the third PAG | MAURIC

  4. La Combattante enters active service

    The French Navy admitted La Combattante to active service as the Antilles-based third vessel of the PAG class.

    Sources: Decision No. 237 admitting PAG La Combattante to active service

  5. La Combattante supports Haiti evacuation

    La Combattante joined the Jeanne d'Arc task group and protected the Operation Pauline dispositif used for voluntary-departure assistance from Haiti.

    Sources: Prises de commandement 2026, semaine 28

  6. Three PAG vessels listed in service

    The French Navy ship list current to April 1, 2025 listed La Confiance, La Résolue, and La Combattante as PAG vessels in service.

    Sources: Liste des navires de la Marine nationale, 1er avril 2025

Media

Confiance-class patrol vessel Videos

Confiance-class patrol vessel Images

Confiance-class patrol vessel, Offshore patrol vessel class, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: 2017FAG 061 001 013 PAG.jpg | Wikimedia Commons
Confiance-class patrol vessel, Offshore patrol vessel class, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: 2024 MPAR 024 X 001 006(1).jpg | Wikimedia Commons
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Sources

Patrouilleurs hauturiers | SOCARENAMPublisher: SOCARENAM | Note: Supports the Confiance-class design and build context, Mauric-based patrol-vessel family background, French Guiana mission fit, and the 61 m / 20 mm / RHIB mission equipment description. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Un nouveau commandant pour le patrouilleur Antilles Guyane La Confiance | Marine nationalePublisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Supports the class's 2017 service entry, 61-meter length, 21-knot speed, and continuing French Navy patrol role. | Accessed: 2026-07-03FAG - Coopération maritime franco-brésilienne pour le PAG La Confiance | Marine nationalePublisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Supports the class's maritime patrol context in Guyane, including fisheries policing, Titan space-launch security, and counter-illicit-activity missions. | Accessed: 2026-07-03French Navy commissions second La Confiance-class vessel in French GuianaPublisher: Naval Today | Note: Supports the commissioning of La Résolue as the second Confiance-class vessel in French Guiana and the class-replacement context. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Category:La Confiance class patrol ships | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports class metadata, including origin, manufacturer, service entry, displacement, dimensions, and total produced. | Accessed: 2026-07-032017FAG 028 004 Confiante.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing context for the primary Confiance-class photo. | Accessed: 2026-07-032017FAG 061 001 013 PAG.jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing context for a Confiance-class training photo with commandos marine. | Accessed: 2026-07-032024 MPAR 024 X 001 006(1).jpg | Wikimedia CommonsPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Image provenance and licensing context for a dockside Confiance-class image showing La Confiance with sister ships. | Accessed: 2026-07-03French Navy Guyana-based Light Patrol Vessel PLG La Confiance is now on active dutyPublisher: Army Recognition | Note: Supports the La Confiance bow mount with a Nexter Narwhal 20 mm remote weapon station and the secondary weapon-station notes for 7.62 mm machine guns. | Accessed: 2026-07-03KNDS Nexter Narwhal-20 Naval Remote Weapon Station NWSPublisher: Seaforces.org | Note: Supports the Narwhal 20B identification as the M693-based French Navy naval remote weapon station. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane - Ministère des ArméesPublisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Supports the Confiance-class mission set, equipment and armament list, dimensions, displacement, speed, crew, and the three named PAG vessels. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Prises de commandement 2026, semaine 28Publisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Supports conflictUsage:2022 Haitian Gang Conflict by documenting PAG La Combattante used by French naval forces in Operation Pauline to protect the voluntary-departure dispositif for French and European nationals in Haiti. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Nexter & Naval Group to Upgrade Narwhal RWS on all French Navy Vessels | Naval NewsPublisher: Naval News | Note: Supports the Narwhal 20B relationship for the three La Confiance-class PAG patrol vessels. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Launching ceremony of La Combattante, the third PAG | MAURICPublisher: MAURIC | Note: Supports MAURIC's naval architect and engineer role, Socarenam build context, La Combattante timeline, PLG-to-PAG naming, Caribbean mission rationale after Hurricane Irma, and detailed range and propulsion notes. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Liste des navires de la Marine nationale, 1er avril 2025Publisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Supports the active inventory of three Patrouilleurs Antilles Guyane and the class ship list with La Confiance P 733, La Résolue P 734, and La Combattante P 735. | Accessed: 2026-07-03Decision No. 237 admitting PAG La Combattante to active servicePublisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports La Combattante's admission to active service on January 23, 2020 and assignment to Fort-de-France. | Accessed: 2026-07-03