Bir Hakeim Speedboat

"Bir Hakeim" the new speedboat for marine riflemen. The Fusiliers marin are specialized French naval infantry trained for combat in land and coastal regions. The Marine Fusiliers are also in charge of providing protection for naval vessels and key French Navy sites on land. Built by the Ulfast shipyard in Quimper (Finistère), the Bir Hakeim, the first marine rifle star (VFM) in a series of twelve, was christened on Friday January 27, 2023 at the Brest Naval Base. The Bir Hakeim is now admitted to active service. This will allow the training of crews and the ramp-up of equipment. The deliveries of the launches will be staggered until 2025. They will bear the names of the great battles of the marines.

The Bir Hakeim bears the name of the famous battle where the men of the 1st marine rifle battalion distinguished themselves during the Second World War. Built by the Ulfast shipyard in Quimper (Finistère), this is the first VFM in a series of twelve. She was assigned to the battalion of marine riflemen Amyot d'Inville, from the naval base of Brest, which will eventually benefit from four speedboats. The other VFMs will be distributed between the military ports of mainland France and overseas: Toulon, Cherbourg, as well as in Djibouti.

Before its admission to active service, Bir Hakeim carried out industrial technical tests in 2022 with the Ulfast shipyard, followed by state tests conducted by the General Directorate of Armaments (DGA), intended to qualify and receive this first copy allowing the taking into account by the French Navy. Designed to operate up to 15 nautical miles from the coast, they will allow marines to carry out maritime territorial defense missions: escort of precious Navy units, surveillance and intervention in territorial waters. The Bir Hakeim is the fruit of a program launched in March 2018 to provide the French Navy with a capacity of armored interceptors capable of protecting naval bases against terrorist attacks from the sea.