On October 17, Admiral Nicolas Vaujour, Chief of the Naval Staff, admitted the POM Auguste Techer to active service . This event comes after an initial deployment for the crew to take charge. This deployment also enabled a large part of the phase 1 Military Characteristics Verifications (VCM) to be carried out before its delivery by the French Armaments Directorate General (DGA) on August 25 in Réunion (974).
After being fitted out in Boulogne-sur-Mer (62) and undergoing several months of sea trials off the coast of Brittany, the POM Auguste Techer left the mainland at the beginning of July to return to its home port. Its long transit allowed its seaworthiness to be tested in harsh weather conditions.
As part of the capacity renewal of the French overseas forces, the Auguste Techer will strengthen the naval capabilities of the Armed Forces in the southern Indian Ocean. Its main missions will be the surveillance of French maritime areas, the fight against illicit trafficking, the protection of fisheries, as well as support for maritime rescue operations and humanitarian interventions.
An innovative vessel in more ways than one, the POM Auguste Techer is a modern, robust, and durable patrol vessel, capable of carrying out its missions far and long. It is equipped with enhanced surveillance capabilities thanks to the implementation of the Navy’s onboard mini drone system (SMDM). Its range is twice that of previous-generation patrol vessels.
