French Navy receives first patrol boat VFM Bir Hakeim at Brest Arsenal.

According to a tweet published by the French Navy on October 27, 2021, the first of twelve new patrol boats VFM Bir Hakeim arrived at Brest Arsenal before new technicals and state trials.
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First patrol boat VFM Bir Hakeim at Brest, France (Picture source: Twitter account of French Navy)

The French VFMs (Vedette de fusiliers marins) have a length of 15 m and displacement of 15 tons. They can reach a top speed of 40 knots and carry up 8 sailors.

Its armor covers the cabin, firing stations, engines and fuel tanks, offering enhanced protection for the launch's crew. In addition, its light and resistant composite hull combined with its powerful outboard engine offer increased responsiveness.

The VFMs are armed with one 7.62 mm and one 12.7 mm machine gun, they will be based among the naval bases in France and overseas (Brest, Toulon, Cherbourg, and Djibouti).

The Fusiliers marins (lit. "Navy Riflemen") are specialized French naval infantry trained for combat in land and coastal regions. The Fusiliers Marins are also in charge of providing protection for naval vessels and key French Navy sites on land.