1st of the New Zodiac EDO NG Rigid Inflatable Boats Approved for French Navy

ASDNews: Apr 1, 2011

The first of 35 newly-designed RIBs for the French Navy has been delivered by Zodiac Hurricane. The new 7-metre (22-feet) Zodiac EDO NG RIB was tested and approved in January for use by the French Navy by the Directorate General of Armaments. It has now been delivered to the Frigate Courbet which will be able to use it for a wide range of tasks including fast rescue, boarding and interception. The Zodiac EDO NG (Embarcation de Drome Operationelle - Nouvelle Generation) is manufactured in Canada and designed to function as a high speed craft suitable for a wide range of naval operations. The new boat is SOLAS approved and is operated with a crew of two. It is powered by a 225 hp inboard diesel engine making the two-ton craft capable of speeds greater than 35 knots with five people on board and 30 knots when carrying 14 passengers. Each Zodiac EDO NG is fitted with a light machine gun and for operational versatility has dual davit lifting points in addition to a single point lifting frame. This will enable the remaining 34 RIBs on order to easily equip most of the frigates in the French navy as well as the new FREMM multi-mission frigates currently under construction.

Source : Zodiac International