Naval Systems

Flamant-class patrol vessel

Also known as
  • Flamant class
  • Flamant-class patrol vessel
  • OPV54 class
  • OPV 54 class
  • Type OPV54

The Flamant class is a three-ship French Navy OPV54 public-service patrol-vessel class used for Action de l'Etat en mer tasks in the Channel and North Sea, including maritime traffic surveillance, fisheries policing, anti-trafficking patrols, pollution response, and sea rescue. The Cherbourg-based ships entered service in 1997, carry two 12.7 mm machine guns, and remain active while the French Navy extends their service into the mid-2030s.

Flamant-class patrol vessel, Patrouilleur de service public / OPV54 patrol vessel, Naval Systems
Image source: Wikimedia Commons: French Navy Flamant Class P676 Dublin Docks.jpg
Class Members

The official 2025 fleet list and later French Ministry material keep the three OPV54 public-service patrol vessels in current French Navy service. Older official class-page text has a stale Cormoran basing note, so current-service rows use the later fleet and unit sources for Cherbourg basing.

ShipPennantCommissionedCurrent-service context
FlamantP67618 December 1997Cherbourg-based PSP represented in 2025-2026 official material.
CormoranP67729 October 1997Cherbourg-based PSP represented in 2025-2026 official material.
PluvierP67818 December 1997Cherbourg-based PSP represented in 2025-2026 official material.
Profile / Specs

Profile

Origin
France
Type
Patrouilleur de service public / OPV54 patrol vessel
Service note
1997-present
Produced
Ordered August 1993; commissioned October-December 1997; service-extension work reported in 2026
Number built
3

Specifications

Official displacement
406 tonnes
Reference full-load displacement
477 tons full load in Seaforces data; Mer et Marine describes about 400 tonnes full load
Length
54 m
Beam
10 m
Draft
2.2 m in Seaforces data
Official speed
19 knots
Reference speed
23 knots in Seaforces data; Mer et Marine describes more than 20 knots
Range
4,500 nmi at 14 knots in Seaforces data
Complement
21 sailors in official class data; Flamant command reporting describes a 20-sailor double-crewed ship
Propulsion
2 x Deutz-MWM TBD 620 V16 diesel engines and 2 x Deutz-MWM TBD234 V12 diesel engines on twin shafts
Current homeport
Cherbourg for the three public-service patrol vessels in official current-service reporting
Mission set
Action de l'Etat en mer, maritime-defense traffic surveillance, fisheries policing, navigation regulation, illicit-trafficking prevention, pollution response, and sea rescue
Armament
2 x 12.7 mm machine guns
Other equipment
Water cannon, stern ramp for a fast boat, and tricolor AEM hull markings in official class data
Boat carried
1 x 6.7 m Zodiac "Hurricane" RHIB
Service Profile

The class is cataloged here as a current French Navy patrol-vessel class rather than as a documented armed-conflict system. The reviewed official and specialist sources support public-service patrol, maritime-security, fisheries, anti-pollution, and rescue duties, but they do not directly place the OPV54 class in a named armed conflict.

Current role

Public-service patrol vessels for Action de l'Etat en mer missions in metropolitan French waters, especially Channel and North Sea maritime surveillance tasks.

Active ships

Flamant P676, Cormoran P677, and Pluvier P678 remain represented in official current-service material.

Conflict evidence limit

No source reviewed directly supports a compact conflict-use row for a specific named armed conflict.

Carried Weapons

Official French Navy class data and specialist reference data document the class with two 12.7 mm machine guns.

Carried itemItem typeCarriage evidence
12.7 mm heavy machine gun, Belt-fed, crew-served heavy machine gun class, Infantry Weapons12.7 mm heavy machine gun12.7 mm heavy machine gun

The French Navy PSP class page and Seaforces list the OPV54 class as armed with two 12.7 mm machine guns.

Sources: Patrouilleurs de service public (PSP), Flamant class Offshore Patrol Vessel OPV French Navy Marine

Timeline

Flamant-class patrol vessel Key Events

  1. Cormoran enters service

    The second ship in the class, Cormoran, was commissioned and entered French Navy service in October 1997.

    Sources: Flamant class Offshore Patrol Vessel OPV French Navy Marine

  2. Flamant and Pluvier enter service

    Flamant and Pluvier were commissioned in December 1997, completing the class's entry into French Navy service.

    Sources: Flamant class Offshore Patrol Vessel OPV French Navy Marine

  3. Official Flamant command reporting describes double-crewed AEM service

    A French Navy command-change article described Flamant as a Cherbourg-based public-service patrol vessel in Action de l'Etat en mer service, with double crews improving days at sea and availability.

    Sources: Prises de commandement semaine 32

  4. Fleet list keeps the class in service

    The French Navy fleet list for 1 April 2025 listed Flamant, Cormoran, and Pluvier as public-service patrol vessels, with the class represented at Cherbourg under ALFAN command.

    Sources: Liste des navires de la Marine nationale

  5. Service extension reported into the mid-2030s

    Mer et Marine reported that the French Navy planned to keep Flamant and Cormoran in service until at least 2034 and Pluvier until 2035, with remotorization and maintenance work tied to delayed replacement plans.

    Sources: Les trois patrouilleurs de service public prolongés jusqu'au milieu des années 2030

  6. Cormoran, Pluvier, and Flamant crews listed for the 2026 Bastille Day parade

    The French Ministry of the Armed Forces listed Cormoran, Pluvier, and Flamant crews among Force d'action navale units represented in the 2026 Bastille Day parade.

    Sources: Troupes à pied : Patrouilleur de service public Cormoran

Media

Flamant-class patrol vessel Videos

Flamant-class patrol vessel Images

Flamant-class patrol vessel, Patrouilleur de service public / OPV54 patrol vessel, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons: French Navy Flamant Class P676 entering Dunkirk harbour (7961651562).jpg
Related Weapon Systems
Confiance-class patrol vessel, Offshore patrol vessel class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsConfiance-class patrol vesselOffshore patrol vessel classThe 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.
Félix Éboué class patrol vessel, Offshore patrol vessel, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsFélix Éboué class patrol vesselOffshore patrol vesselThe Félix Éboué class patrol vessel, also known as the Patrouilleur Outre-Mer (POM), is France's six-ship overseas offshore patrol vessel program for sovereignty, maritime surveillance, law-enforcement, environmental-protection, and rescue missions in distant EEZs. Built by Socarenam with CNN MCO support and designed by MAURIC, the class is distributed across Nouméa, Papeete, and La Réunion and combines diesel-electric propulsion, a 5,500 nm range, a 24-knot top speed, UAV integration, and a 20 mm Narwhal remote weapon station for extended Indo-Pacific and Indian Ocean patrol work.
PCG-NG class, Next-generation coastal patrol vessel class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsPCG-NG classNext-generation coastal patrol vessel classThe PCG-NG class is a French next-generation coastal patrol vessel programme designed by Mauric and built by Socarenam for state-action-at-sea missions. The 46-metre vessels combine a stern ramp, fast RHIB launch-and-recovery, seven-day endurance, and light machine-gun armament for maritime policing, border control, fisheries enforcement, surveillance, search and rescue, and patrol support around metropolitan and overseas French waters.
La Fayette class frigate, Multipurpose stealth frigate class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsLa Fayette class frigateMultipurpose stealth frigate classThe La Fayette class is France's five-ship FLF stealth-frigate family, developed and built at DCN's Lorient yard for reduced signatures, long-range patrol, escort, crisis-response, and maritime-surveillance missions. The French ships introduced a 125-meter, 3,600-tonne design with Exocet missiles, a helicopter hangar, and a small crew, while source-backed operations include Libya 2011 naval gunfire and EU NAVFOR counter-piracy patrols.
D'Estienne d'Orves-class / A69 type aviso, Aviso / light corvette class, Naval SystemsNaval SystemsD'Estienne d'Orves-class / A69 type avisoAviso / light corvette classThe D'Estienne d'Orves-class / A69 type aviso is a French-built light corvette and patrol-vessel family developed for coastal anti-submarine warfare, escort, and overseas-presence missions. Arsenal de Lorient built the original French ships around an 80-meter diesel hull with Exocet missiles, a 100 mm CADAM gun, torpedoes, and a 375 mm anti-submarine rocket launcher; later service included French counter-piracy and embargo patrols plus Argentine Drummond-class combat use in the Falklands War.

Sources

Patrouilleurs de service public (PSP)Publisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Official class page supporting the PSP mission set, AEM context, armament, water cannon, fast-boat ramp, official dimensions, displacement, speed, crew count, class members, and commissioning dates. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Prises de commandement semaine 32Publisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Official command-change article supporting Flamant's Cherbourg AEM service, double-crewing, 54 m length, 10 m beam, 20-sailor crew note, and current missions in the Channel. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Liste des navires de la Marine nationalePublisher: Ministère des Armées / Marine nationale | Note: Official fleet list supporting Flamant, Cormoran, and Pluvier as in-service PSP vessels in the 2025 French Navy fleet list, with Cherbourg current-service context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Troupes à pied : Patrouilleur de service public CormoranPublisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Official 2026 Bastille Day unit page supporting current Cormoran, Pluvier, and Flamant crew representation, Cherbourg implantation, OPV54 identity, double-crewed PSP operations, Channel-North Sea mission area, and routine mission set. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Flamant class Offshore Patrol Vessel OPV French Navy MarinePublisher: seaforces.org | Note: Supports the class description, builder, dimensions, propulsion, armament, range, crew, service dates, homeport, and mission set. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Les trois patrouilleurs de service public prolongés jusqu'au milieu des années 2030Publisher: Mer et Marine | Note: Supports 2026 service-extension reporting, remotorization and maintenance context, builder caveat, broad displacement and speed values, and replacement-program pressure. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Wikimedia Commons: French Navy Flamant Class P676 Dublin Docks.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports the primary image provenance and licensing context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04Wikimedia Commons: French Navy Flamant Class P676 entering Dunkirk harbour (7961651562).jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports one gallery image provenance and licensing context. | Accessed: 2026-07-04