View source for French ship Mistral (L9013)

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2022}}
{{short description|French amphibious assault ship}}
{{other ships|French ship Mistral}}
{{refimprove|date=June 2008}}
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{{Infobox ship image
| Ship image =French amphibious assault ship Mistral (L9013) underway in the Mediterranean Sea on 24 June 2020 (200624-M-IR130-1284).JPG
| Ship caption = ''Mistral'' in the Mediterranean Sea on 24 June 2020
}}
{{Infobox ship career
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| Ship country = France
| Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|France|naval}}
| Ship name = 
| Ship namesake = Wind [[Mistral (wind)|Mistral]]
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| Ship builder = Arsenal de Brest, Chantiers de Saint-Nazaire
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| Ship laid down = *10 July 2003 (aft section at Brest)
*13 October 2003 (bow section at Saint-Nazaire)
| Ship launched = 6 October 2004 in Brest
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| Ship commissioned = February 2006
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| Ship homeport = [[Toulon]]
| Ship identification = *[[Pennant number]]: L 9013
*Deck Code: MI
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| Ship status = In service
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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| Header caption = 
| Ship class = {{sclass|Mistral|amphibious assault ship}}
| Ship displacement = * {{cvt|16500|t|LT|lk=on}} (empty)
* {{cvt|21300|t|LT}} (full load)
* {{cvt|32300|t|LT}} (with ballasts)
| Ship length = {{cvt|199|m|ftin}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|32|m|ftin}}
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| Ship draught = {{cvt|6.3|m|ftin}}
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| Ship propulsion = *Motorisation : 2 × Mermaïd electric motors (2 × 7&nbsp;MW)
* 2 × 5-bladed propellers
* Electrical plant: 4 × [[Wärtsilä]] diesels-alternators 16 V32 (6.2&nbsp;MW) + 1 × Wärtsilä Vaasa auxiliary diesel-alternator 18V200 (3&nbsp;MW)
| Ship speed = {{convert|18.8|kn|lk=in}}
| Ship range = *{{convert|10800|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|18|kn|abbr=on}}
*{{convert|19800|km|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|abbr=on}}
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| Ship capacity = 2 barges, one [[Leclerc tank|Leclerc]] battalion, 70 vehicles
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| Ship complement = 20 officers, 80 petty officers, 60 quartermasters, 450 passengers (900 for a short cruise), 150 men operational headquarter
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| Ship armament = *2 × [[Mistral missile|Simbad]] systems
*2 × [[30 mm Breda-Mauser]]
*4 × [[M2 Browning machine gun|12.7&nbsp;mm M2-HB Browning machine guns]]
| Ship armour = 
| Ship aircraft = 16 heavy or 35 light helicopters
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'''''Mistral''''' (L9013) is an [[amphibious assault ship]], a type of [[helicopter carrier]], of the [[French Navy]]. She is the fourth vessel to bear the name, and is the [[lead ship]] of the {{sclass|Mistral|amphibious assault ship|0}} amphibious assault ships.

== Construction and career ==
[[File:Mistral p1150207.jpg|thumb|left|''Mistral'' at the [[Toulon arsenal|military port of Toulon]] in 2006]]

''Mistral'' began [[sea trial]]s in January 2005, and was [[Ship commissioning|commissioned]] in February 2006. She departed from [[Toulon]] for her first long-range journey in March, sailing through the [[Mediterranean Sea]], [[Suez Canal]], and the [[Red Sea]] to Djibouti and India, before returning to France. In July, to ensure the safety of European citizens in the context of the [[2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict]], France set up [[Opération Baliste]]. ''Mistral'' was the flagship of the fleet unit off Lebanon, escorted by the frigates {{ship|French frigate|Jean Bart||2}} and {{ship|French frigate|Jean de Vienne||2}}, and along with another amphibious assault ship, {{ship|French ship|Siroco|L9012|2}}.

On 16 May 2008, the Burmese [[United Nations]] (UN) ambassador accused France of deploying ''Mistral'' to the Burmese coast for military purposes. The French UN ambassador denied this, stating that she was instead carrying 1,500 tons of relief supplies.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7405998.stm |title=France angered by Burmese delays |work=[[BBC Online]] |date=17 May 2008 |access-date=24 October 2014}}</ref>

In March 2011 ''Mistral'' was deployed to Libyan waters to help aid the joint [[NATO]] effort to repatriate tens of thousands of Egyptian refugees fleeing the violence in Libya.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12625084 |title=Libya: UK and France to fly Egyptians from Tunisia |work=BBC Online |date=2 March 2011 |access-date=24 October 2014}}</ref>

In January 2013, escorted by {{ship|French frigate|Chevalier Paul||2}}, ''Mistral'' took part in the ill-fated [[Bulo Marer hostage rescue attempt|operation to retrieve Denis Allex]],<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.lepoint.fr/chroniqueurs-du-point/jean-guisnel/exclusif-somalie-le-raid-pour-liberer-denis-allex-a-ete-conduit-depuis-le-mistral-13-01-2013-1613080_53.php |title=EXCLUSIF. Somalie : le raid pour libérer Denis Allex a été conduit depuis le Mistral |last=Guisnel |first=Jean |magazine=[[Le Point]] |date=13 January 2013 |access-date=24 October 2014|language=fr}}</ref> a [[DGSE]] officer held hostage in [[Bulo Marer]].

On 22 May 2022, ''Mistral'', operating in the [[Gulf of Guinea]] in conjunction with the {{sclass|La Fayette|frigate|1}}, {{ship|French frigate|Courbet||2}}, was involved in the seizure of almost two tons of drugs.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/05/new-drug-seizure-by-the-french-navy-in-the-gulf-of-guinea/ |title=New Drug Seizure By The French Navy In The Gulf Of Guinea |work=Naval News |date=25 May 2022 |access-date=27 May 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book |last1=Moulin |first1=Jean |title=Tous les porte-aéronefs en France: de 1912 à nos jours |date=2020 |publisher=Lela Presse |location=Le Vigen, France |isbn=978-2-37468-035-4|language=fr|trans-title=All the Aircraft Carriers of France: From 1912 to Today|series=Collection Navires et Histoire des Marines du Mond; 35}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Mistral (L9013)}}
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://www.alabordache.com/marine/espacemarine/marine/commandement/mistral/index.php BPC ''Mistral''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070307195102/http://www.alabordache.com/marine/espacemarine/marine/commandement/mistral/index.php |date=7 March 2007 }} Force Projection and Command Ship ''Mistral'' on Alabordache
* {{in lang|fr}} [http://bpcmistral.free.fr BPC ''Mistral''] Force Projection and Command Ship ''Mistral''

{{Mistral class amphibious assault ship}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mistral}}
[[Category:Mistral-class amphibious assault ships]]
[[Category:Amphibious warfare vessels of France]]
[[Category:2004 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in France]]

[[fr:Classe Mistral]]