The command and replenishment ship Somme (A631) takes part at Corymbe Mission.

Deployed under the 149th mandate of the Corymbe mission, the Somme is ready for its mission which will start with a patrol in Senegalese waters. Left from Brest at the end of September, the Durance class, command and replenishment ship sails towards the warmer waters of the Gulf of Guinea.

The command and replenishment ship, Somme (A631) (Picture source: French Ministry of Defence)

The passage in Portuguese waters has allowed recovering a team of Portuguese marines who, with their French counterparts, will reinforce the protection of the building and contribute to the formation of the shores of the Gulf of Guinea. The period of navigation that separates the old continent from the area of ​​operation was an opportunity to test and test the defence against threats and act on a wide range of action through the use of snipers.

The integration of Portuguese marines into the crew is part of international cooperation aimed at enhancing maritime safety in the Gulf of Guinea. This is the second time that a French ship has embarked on a group of Portuguese marines.

Since 1990, France deploys one to two buildings on Corymbe mission almost permanently in the Gulf of Guinea. The mission has two major objectives: to participate in the protection of French interests in the area as well as to contribute to the reduction of maritime insecurity, by helping, in particular, to strengthen the capacities of the Gulf's coastal waters in the field of maritime safety, in the part of the Yaoundé process. The deployment of French vessels on a Corymbe mission completes the pre-positioned French system in West Africa (Gabon, Ivory Coast, Senegal) and participates in the maritime component of operational cooperation implemented regionally by these presence forces.

Command and replenishment ship are primarily responsible for providing logistical and material support for deployed buildings: refuelling (fuel oil, diesel, jet fuel), water, food, ammunition, drugs and spares. This capability allows a naval force to conduct long-range operations at sea. CSB can supply 2 to 3 units simultaneously and are also capable of accommodating an Airborne Operations Headquarters.