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Landing ships (L-ships) are vital components in any sea-borne force deployment. It operates within a joint service or inter-allied framework where it can be used as a command post; it enables the pre-positioning of an embarked military force as close as possible to potential crisis zones and participates in amphibious assault operations by sea or air. L-ships may also carry out medical support or humanitarian evacuation missions.

To fulfil these roles, to reinforce the current Landing platform dock (LPD) fleet (ships of the FOUDRE class) and to replace the 2 OURAGAN class LPDs, the Projection and Command Battleship (BPC ) programme was launched in November 2000. These ships will include new technologies (pod-type electric propulsion amongst others) and, compared with the FOUDRE-class LPDs, will offer:

  Increased carrying capacity and ability to operate helicopters,
  Better interoperability with allied forces and especially with allied naval and amphibious assault force resources,
  Advanced command facilities,
  Improved living accommodation,
  A hospital capability with the option of additional modular hospital units,

These new capabilities, and especially those associated with air-mobility, make the “BPC” a true “Intervention Helicopter Carrier”. Moreover BPC will be multi-task and thus more flexible for any missions.

Industrial contract notified by the Navy programme department (DGA/SPN) to DCN (about 530 M€) plans to deliver the two BPCs “MISTRAL” and TONNERRE” in 2005 and 2006.