Name Somme Laid down 3 May 1985 Homeport Toulon Launched 3 October 1987 | Namesake Somme river Commissioned 7 March 1990 Construction started 3 May 1985 Length 157 m | |
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Identification Call sign FBSO
MMSI number 228779000 Builder Constructions industrielles de la Méditerranée | ||
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.
References
French ship Somme (A631) Wikipedia(Text) CC BY-SA