French tanker Meuse

In French service, the final three Durance-class tankers are called Bâtiment de commandement et ravitailleur (BCR, "command and replenishment ship").[1] In addition to their role as a fleet tanker, the three ships dubbed BCR can accommodate an entire general staff and thus supervise naval operations as a command ship.[2] The three ships of the class designated BCRs, Var, Marne and Somme all have superstructures that were extended aft by 8 m (26 ft) to accommodate the additional staff requirements. The BCRs have one crane positioned along the centreline.[3]

Durance-class have a standard displacement of 7,900 t (7,800 long tons) and 18,800 t (18,500 long tons) at full load. The oiler is 157.3 metres (516 ft 1 in) long overall and 149 m (488 ft 10 in) between perpendiculars with a beam of 21.2 m (69 ft 7 in) and a draught of 8.65 m (28 ft 5 in) empty and 10.8 m (35 ft 5 in) at full load. Somme is powered by two SEMT Pielstick 16 PC2.5 V 400 diesel engines turning two LIPS controllable pitch propellers rated at 15,000 kilowatts (20,000 hp). The vessel has a maximum speed of 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) and a range of 9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[1][4]

They have two dual solid/liquid underway transfer stations per side and can replenish two ships per side and one astern.[3] The ship initially had capacity for 5,170 t (5,090 long tons) of fuel oil, 3,360 t (3,310 long tons) of diesel fuel, 1,160 t (1,140 long tons) of JP-5 aviation fuel, 250 t (250 long tons) of distilled water, 180 t (180 long tons) of provisions, 170 t (170 long tons) of munitions and 15 t (15 long tons) of spare parts.[4] These numbers change with the needs of the fleet.[1]

The Durance-class tankers all mount a flight deck over the stern and a hangar. The ships utilise Aérospatiale Alouette III and Westland Lynx helicopters but are capable of operating larger ones from their flight deck. For defence, Somme initially mounted one Bofors 40 mm/L60 anti-aircraft (AA) gun in a single gun turret and two 20 mm (0.8 in) AA guns in a twin turret.[4] The ship is equipped with two DRBN 34 navigational radars. The armament was later altered by removing the 20 mm guns and adding four 12.7 mm (0.5 in) M2 Browning machine guns and three launchers for Simbad Mistral surface-to-air missiles. The ship has a complement of 162 and is capable of accommodating 250 personnel.[1]

The second tanker of the Durance-class was laid down on 2 June 1977 by Brest Arsenal at their yard in Brest, France. She was launched on 2 December 1978 and given the pennant number A 607. Meuse was commissioned into the French Navy on 21 November 1980. The Durance-class ships were assigned to the Force d'action navale (FAR, "Naval Action Force") after entering service. One of the BCRs is assigned to Indian Ocean as flagship of the French naval forces in the region. Her homeport is in Toulon.

Meuse participated in Opération OLIFANT in 1983-1984 with the Foch and the Clemenceau. She was deployed in Opération Daguet in 1991. She participated in Opération Trident in 1999 with Foch. Meuse taken part in Opération Héraclès in 2001 with Charles-de-Gaulle. Opération Agapanthe in 2010-2011 off India with Charles-de-Gaulle. Opération Harmattan in 2011 with Charles-de-Gaulle. Opération Chammal in January 2015 with Charles-de-Gaulle.

She was decommissioned on 16 December 2015.[5]

• 
  Meuse refueling with Foch in 1999.
• 
  Meuse at Toulon on 5 May 2009.
• 
  Meuse at Toulon on 5 May 2009.
• 
  Meuse at Toulon on 5 May 2009.
• 
  Meuse at Toulon on 14 July 2011.
• 
  Meuse at Malta on 8 March 2013.
• 
  Meuse at Malta on 9 March 2013.
• 
  Meuse at Malta on 9 March 2013.
• 
  Meuse at Malta on 9 March 2013.
• 
  Meuse at Malta on 9 March 2013.
• 
  Meuse in the Arabian Sea on 2 March 2015.
• 
  Meuse in the Arabian Sea on 11 April 2015.

• Couhat, Jean Labayle, ed. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85368-860-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2888-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)