Tonnerre will arrive in Cochin tomorrow

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The French amphibious helicopter dock ship Tonnerre will arrive in Kochi on June 9th, 2010. Its maiden voyage was to Cape Town in June 2007. The ship is currently commanded by Captain Philippe Ebanga, born in 1966 who has received a commission as a Surface Warfare Officer before specializing as a Principal Warfare Officer (PWO). His most recent assignment was Executive Officer of the Tonnerre.

The ship also is providing in-house-training for 88 enthusiastic officers from the French Naval Academy, now during their 6th semester of their 4 year training programme, 11 supply officers-to-be, 5 maritime affairs officers and 17  foreign officers from Algeria, Belgium, Cameroon, Canada, Egypt, Gabon, Germany, Madagascar, Morocco, Senegal and Togo. In addition, 10 striving officers from the Saint-Cyr army academy was onboard for the first part of the distribution.

The current members in the crew are 180. It travels at a speed of 19 knots and has 6 helicopter launching pads. The ship also houses 110 armored vehicles or a squadron of 13 tanks. They also have medical facilities like a hospital with around 69 beds(expandable to 100), 2 surgery rooms, 1 X-ray room. The two navies would further strengthen their cordial ties.

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