Naval Systems

Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey ship

Also known as
  • Laperouse class
  • Classe Lapérouse
  • Lapérouse class
  • Lapérouse-class survey ship
  • Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey vessel
  • BH2
  • Bâtiment hydrographique de seconde classe
  • Bâtiment hydrographique type Lapérouse

The Lapérouse class is a French Navy hydrographic survey ship class built at DCN Lorient for SHOM. The three ships combine coastal and deep-water survey work with satellite communications, multibeam and towed sonar sensors, hydrographic launches, and light defensive armament. SHOM describes La Pérouse, Borda, and Laplace as second-class hydrographic ships used by its Atlantic hydrographic and oceanographic group, with replacement planned through the CHOF future hydrographic and oceanographic capability program.

Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey ship, Hydrographic survey ship, Naval Systems
Image source: Wikimedia Commons: A791 Lapérouse R01.jpg

Role in Conflicts

2015 Various Conflicts
Side
Unconfirmed conflict context

No publicly documented use in a named armed conflict found in the sources reviewed. Public sources describe Lapérouse-class vessels as hydrographic survey ships rather than combatants.

Class Members

The Marine nationale lists three Lapérouse-class ships, all tied to SHOM survey work. Their service-entry dates on the official page make the class rollout easy to compare at a glance.

ShipOfficial designationService entry
LapérouseA79120 April 1988
BordaA79216 June 1988
LaplaceA79320 April 1988
Documented Survey Fit

The French Navy's equipment page describes the class as a survey platform rather than a combat ship, with sensor and launch arrangements aimed at hydrographic collection in shallow and deep water.

FeatureDocumented fitReader value
Data relaySatellite transmissionMoves survey results off the ship without waiting for a port call.
Sensor handlingAft folding gantrySupports towed and deployable survey gear.
BathymetryMultibeam echo sounders for shallow and deep waterLets the ship map different depth regimes from the same hull.
Seafloor imagingTowed side-scan sonarCaptures wide-area seabed texture and object detail.
Sub-bottom workSediment sounderHelps identify layers beneath the seabed surface.
Small craft2 fast boats and 2 hydrographic launchesExtends survey work into nearshore and confined waters.
Profile / Specs

Specifications

Length
59 m
Beam
10.4 m
Displacement
980 tonnes
Speed
15 knots
Crew
33 marins and 15 hydrographers
Propulsion
2 diesel propulsion engines and 1 bow thruster
Survey fit
Satellite transmission, aft folding gantry, multibeam echo sounders for shallow and deep water, towed side-scan sonar, sediment sounder, 2 fast boats, and 2 hydrographic launches
Armament
2 x 12.7 mm machine guns
Carried Armament

The class is primarily a hydrographic survey platform, but the French Navy lists a light defensive machine-gun fit.

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 Marine nationale equipment page lists two 12.7 mm machine guns as the class armament; the source does not identify the exact gun model.

Sources: Marine nationale: Bâtiments hydrographiques

Timeline

Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey ship Key Events

  1. Lead ship enters service

    The Marine nationale says Lapérouse was admitted to active service on 20 April 1988, marking the start of the class's operational life.

    Sources: Marine nationale: Bâtiments hydro-océanographiques

  2. Borda joins the class

    The Marine nationale says Borda was admitted to active service on 16 June 1988, following Lapérouse into French Navy survey service.

    Sources: Marine nationale: Bâtiments hydro-océanographiques

  3. Lapérouse survey work detailed

    Hydro International described Lapérouse conducting continental-shelf hydrography and oceanography, including La Rochelle surveys, a NATO mine-warfare exercise off northern Spain, and Pas-de-Calais sand-wave work.

    Sources: Hydro International: Laperouse Amsterdam Visit

  4. Multibeam sounder replacement begins

    SHOM lists the replacement of multibeam echo sounders on La Pérouse in 2011, followed by Borda in 2013 and Laplace in 2015, as part of its hydro-oceanographic equipment integration references.

    Sources: SHOM: Hydro-oceanographic equipment integration

  5. EGNOS use across BH2 surveys

    An EGNOS success story said SHOM used EGNOS in about 120 surveys from 2015 to 2017 aboard BH2 Laplace, Borda, and Lapérouse and their hydrographic launches.

    Sources: EGNOS: SHOM hydrographic surveys

  6. BH2 renewal planning

    SHOM described the class as part of the Marine nationale hydrographic and oceanographic fleet and said replacement of the three BH2 ships was planned under the CHOF capability program.

    Sources: SHOM: DriX hydrographic USV experiment

  7. Offshore wind survey work

    SHOM reported that the BH2 ships supported bathymetric and sediment survey work for offshore wind areas, with Laplace and Borda surveying the South Brittany floating wind zone in 2021.

    Sources: SHOM: AO4 and AO5 offshore wind surveys

  8. Borda deploys to ZMATO 22

    The Marine nationale said Borda left Brest for ZMATO 22, entered the Corymbe operation area on 24 March, and focused on hydrographic work identified with SHOM and Gulf of Guinea coastal states.

    Sources: Marine nationale: Borda ZMATO 22

  9. Laplace deploys toward Mauritania

    The Marine nationale said Laplace deployed to the eastern Atlantic maritime zone for two months to support updates to Mauritanian port charts and share SHOM hydrographic experience.

    Sources: Marine nationale: Laplace ZMATO 2023

  10. CHOF program milestone

    SHOM's 2023 annual report said the future hydrographic and oceanographic capability program passed a CMI milestone on 13 November 2023, with BH-NG ships planned to replace the BH2 class from 2028.

    Sources: SHOM: Rapport annuel 2023

  11. Planned BH2 retirement sequence begins

    SHOM's 2025-2029 objectives contract lists planned active-service withdrawals for La Pérouse at the end of 2026, Laplace at the end of 2027, and Borda at the end of 2028, alongside the BH-NG transition.

    Sources: SHOM: Contrat d'objectifs et de performance 2025-2029

SHOM Service Context

SHOM places La Pérouse, Borda, and Laplace in the Atlantic hydrographic and oceanographic group that gathers bathymetry, seabed, tide, current, and related marine data from Brest-based survey vessels. Later SHOM and Marine nationale references show the class still supporting survey deployments while the Navy and DGA transition toward the CHOF replacement capability.

Fleet role

Second-class hydrographic ships supporting SHOM data acquisition from the Atlantic hydrographic and oceanographic group.

Operational support

Borda and Laplace deployed to the eastern Atlantic maritime zone for Gulf of Guinea and Mauritanian hydrographic cooperation tasks.

Sensor refresh

SHOM lists multibeam echo-sounder replacements for La Pérouse in 2011, Borda in 2013, and Laplace in 2015.

Replacement path

The CHOF program is intended to replace the aging BH2 ships and adapt hydrographic capability to newer technologies, including unmanned survey systems.

Media

Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey ship Images

Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey ship, Hydrographic survey ship, Naval Systems - view 1
Source: Wikimedia Commons: A792 Borda ship R01.jpg
Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey ship, Hydrographic survey ship, Naval Systems - view 2
Source: Wikimedia Commons: FS LAPLACE A793 2.jpg
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Sources

Marine nationale: Bâtiments hydrographiquesPublisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports the class role, service mission, equipment fit, dimensions, displacement, speed, crew, and the list of class ships A791 Lapérouse, A792 Borda, and A793 Laplace. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Marine nationale: Bâtiments hydro-océanographiquesPublisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports the class members' admission to active service: Lapérouse on 20 April 1988, Borda on 16 June 1988, and Laplace on 20 April 1988, plus the class's active status within the French Navy hydrographic force. | Accessed: 2026-07-01SHOM: Acquisition et traitement des donnéesPublisher: SHOM | Note: Supports SHOM data-acquisition context for Borda, La Pérouse, and Laplace within the Brest-based Atlantic hydrographic and oceanographic group. | Accessed: 2026-07-01SHOM: Hydro-oceanographic equipment integrationPublisher: SHOM | Note: Supports the class's hydro-oceanographic equipment context and the multibeam echo-sounder replacement sequence for La Pérouse in 2011, Borda in 2013, and Laplace in 2015. | Accessed: 2026-07-01SHOM: DriX hydrographic USV experimentPublisher: SHOM | Note: Supports the BH2 fleet context for La Pérouse, Borda, and Laplace, the CHOF replacement plan, and the use of new unmanned hydrographic survey technologies to inform next-generation vessels. | Accessed: 2026-07-01SHOM: AO4 and AO5 offshore wind surveysPublisher: SHOM | Note: Supports the class's 2020-2021 bathymetric and sediment survey work for offshore wind zones, including Laplace and Borda work off South Brittany. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Marine nationale: Borda ZMATO 22Publisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports Borda's March 2022 ZMATO 22 deployment, entry into the Corymbe operation area, Gulf of Guinea hydrographic work, surveillance during transit, and preparatory training for asymmetric threats. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Marine nationale: Laplace ZMATO 2023Publisher: Ministère des Armées | Note: Supports Laplace's March 2023 eastern Atlantic maritime-zone deployment, Mauritanian port charting support, and France-Mauritania hydrographic cooperation context. | Accessed: 2026-07-01ShipPhotos: FS Lapérouse (A791)Publisher: ShipPhotos.co.uk | Note: Supports the DCN Lorient builder context and the Lapérouse-class hydrographic survey vessel identification. | Accessed: 2026-07-01SHOM: Rapport annuel 2023Publisher: SHOM | Note: Supports the 13 November 2023 CHOF milestone, the planned replacement of Lapérouse, Borda, and Laplace by BH-NG ships from 2028, and 2023 Laplace hydrographic activity around Mauritania. | Accessed: 2026-07-01SHOM: Contrat d'objectifs et de performance 2025-2029Publisher: SHOM | Note: Supports the CHOF transition plan, first coastal USVs from 2026, BH-NG active-service target in 2028, and planned BH2 active-service withdrawals for La Pérouse, Laplace, and Borda from the end of 2026 through the end of 2028. | Accessed: 2026-07-01EGNOS: SHOM hydrographic surveysPublisher: European GNSS Service Centre | Note: Supports SHOM use of EGNOS in about 120 hydrographic surveys from 2015 to 2017 aboard BH2 Laplace, Borda, and Lapérouse and their hydrographic launches. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Hydro International: Laperouse Amsterdam VisitPublisher: Hydro International | Note: Supports 2008 Lapérouse service activity, sister-ship context, NATO mine-warfare exercise participation, Pas-de-Calais survey work, and reported survey equipment fit including EM1002, side-scan sonar, magnetometer, CTD probe, cable winch, and CARIS preprocessing. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Wikimedia Commons: A791 Lapérouse R01.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing context for the primary Lapérouse-class gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Wikimedia Commons: A792 Borda ship R01.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing context for the Borda class-member gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01Wikimedia Commons: FS LAPLACE A793 2.jpgPublisher: Wikimedia Commons | Note: Supports image provenance and licensing context for the Laplace class-member gallery image. | Accessed: 2026-07-01