Auguste Benebig (POM)

The Auguste Benebig is a French overseas patrol vessel (POM) designed for maritime surveillance and intervention in France's exclusive economic zones. It is equipped for a wide range of missions including maritime security, environmental protection, and search and rescue operations.

The Auguste Benebig was developed under the French Navy's Patrouilleur d'Outre-Mer (POM) program, initiated in 2019 to replace the aging P400-class patrol vessels and bolster sovereignty in France's vast overseas territories. Built by the Socarenam shipyard, the vessel was launched in 2021 and officially entered active service in May 2023. Homeported in Nouméa, New Caledonia, the ship has been actively deployed on regional security patrols and joint exercises across the South Pacific, utilizing its onboard Airbus Aliaca unmanned aerial system for extended surveillance. As the lead ship of her class, the Auguste Benebig represents a significant modernization of French naval capabilities in the Indo-Pacific, establishing a template for five subsequent sister ships.