Thursday, November 20, 2008

MINREM

IOC: 2006
Total Production: 1
Total Program's Cost: USD$153 million

Unitary Cost: USD$153 million

Also Known As
Dupuy de L�me

Origin
France

Contractor/s
Thales

Description: The MINREM (Moyen Interarmées Naval de recherche ElectroMagnétique) is an electronic surveillance vessel to replace the Bougainville ship for strategic purposes. This signals intelligence ship will gather critical information around the world relaying it to French civil and military authorities in France. The MINREM program focus on strategic satellite communications interception through a vessel that outstands by its high availability, low operating costs and ease of operation.

The French defense procurement agency (DGA) awarded a €122 million ($153 million) contract to CNN (Compagnie Nationale de Navigation) and Thales for MINREM (Dupuy de L�me) construction. The ship was built following commercial standards/merchant shipping regulations aimed at providing 350 days availability per year. Besides, Dupuy can be operated by a 30-man crew. CNN and Thales handed over her to DGA on December 15, 2005.

Dupuy de L�me will intercept communications and radar signals (HF and VUHF) through the powerful antennas installed all along the ship and processing these signals with the state-of-the-art electronic equipment supplied by Thales. The ship will be able to carry out long endurance missions at any location overseas. In addition to signals intercepting, this ship features capabilities for eavesdropping, direction-finding and technical analysis of radio and radar signals which includes the latest waveforms and the most advanced types of communications.

Specifications
Accommodation: Crew 80

Dimensions: Length 100 m

Weights: Max Weight 3,000 t

Performance: Endurance 350 day, Top Speed 8 mps (16 kt)

Operators

France / 1

Ships

Dupuy de L�me

Commissioning: 2006

Notes
(*) lead contractor
IOC: Initial Operating Capability
FOC: Full Operating Capability
CEP: Circular Error Probable
Comm: Commissioning Date
Meters (m) Kilometers (km) Nautic Miles (nm) Inch (in) Yard (yd) Foot (ft) Millimeter (mm)
Pound (lb) Kilogram (kg) kN (KiloNewton) Ton (t)
Meters per Second (mps) Kilometers per Hour (kph) Knot (kt) Miles per Hour (mph)
Liter (l) Galon (gl)
Year (yr) Minutes (min) Second (sec)
Shaft-Horse-Power (shp)

Last Updated: Saturday, October 25, 2008

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