The French Navy offshore patrol vessel Enseigne de Vaisseau Jacoubet (F794) arrived at the Sekondi Naval Base on Thursday, 2 April 2026, to conduct joint maritime security operations with the Ghana Navy.
The visit to the Western Naval Command (WNC) serves as a functional pillar of the long-standing defense cooperation between France and Ghana. During the port call, French and Ghanaian officers coordinated on patrol strategies aimed at stabilizing the Gulf of Guinea. This deployment follows a similar mission by the French vessel Commandant Bouan, which visited the Port of Tema on 3 March 2026.
The 2 April visit allowed Ghanaian commanders and French naval leadership to synchronize efforts against high sea robberies. These crimes increasingly target artisanal fishermen, causing economic instability in coastal communities. Deputy Minister for Defence Ernest Brogya Genfi previously noted that maritime insecurity in the region now mirrors the threat of land-based terrorism.
The Jacoubet arrived in Ghana after completing previous mission stages in regional waters, including recent stops in Gabon. After concluding the Sekondi visit, the vessel is expected to continue its transit toward Guinea-Conakry. This sequence of port calls is part of a broader French strategy to maintain a persistent naval presence in West Africa.
Technical personnel from the Ghana Navy and the crew of the Jacoubet engaged in practical knowledge transfers during the stay. These sessions focused on the use of modern surveillance tools to monitor vast maritime zones. The ship remains a capable platform for these tasks despite its long service history.
Originally commissioned in October 1982 as a D’Estienne d’Orves-class aviso, the Jacoubet was later reclassified as an offshore patrol vessel (OPV). This shift moved the ship away from its original anti-submarine role toward maritime policing and counter piracy. It measures 80.5 meters in length with a displacement of approximately 1,250 tonnes.
The vessel operates with a crew of about 90 sailors and can reach speeds of 24 knots. While its heavy missile systems were removed during reclassification, it retains a 100 mm CADAM main gun and two 20 mm F2 guns. These armaments provide sufficient deterrent power for law enforcement and coastal protection missions.
A notable technical addition to the Jacoubet is the Navy Mini Drone System (SMDM), installed in December 2022. This system allows the crew to track targets up to 25 nautical miles away in real time. For a navy like Ghana’s, which seeks advanced surveillance equipment, seeing the SMDM in an operational environment provides valuable data for future procurement.
The ship also uses a Syracuse II satellite communication terminal to maintain global connectivity. This ensures that the vessel can act as a command node during multinational exercises. Such capabilities are essential for interoperability, allowing the Ghana Navy and French forces to share a common operational picture.
Fleet renewal and regional impact
This visit comes at a time of transition for the French naval presence in the Atlantic. The Jacoubet is nearing the end of its service life and is scheduled for retirement between 2026 and 2027. It will eventually be replaced by the Patrouilleur Hauturier (PH) class, which are larger vessels currently under construction in France.
The transition to the PH class will likely increase the technical complexity of future joint exercises. The new vessels will offer improved endurance and more sophisticated sensor suites. Until those ships arrive, the Jacoubet continues to fill a critical gap in regional patrol capacity.
France has maintained a consistent cycle of ship visits to Ghana to ensure the regional maritime force remains active. In April 2025, the vessel CDT Ducuing conducted a week long surveillance exercise at Tema. Later that year, in September 2025, the Mistral-class landing helicopter dock Tonnerre performed a four day joint training program.
The frequent presence of French hulls like the Jacoubet allows the Ghana Navy to test its own response times and communication protocols. It also provides a platform for Ghanaian sailors to train on deck with foreign counterparts. These interactions are vital for maintaining readiness against evolving piracy tactics.
The operational focus is now shifting toward the integration of unmanned aerial systems into standard patrol routines. Ghana has expressed a clear need for these technologies to monitor its territorial waters more effectively. The use of drones on the Jacoubet shows how older hulls can remain relevant through modular upgrades.
The ongoing cooperation also addresses the logistical challenges of maintaining a 24 hour maritime watch. By sharing the patrol burden with international partners, the Ghana Navy can better manage its own fleet maintenance schedules. This collaborative approach is essential for a navy that is currently modernizing its assets to meet new security demands.
The visit of the Jacoubet emphasizes that hardware alone does not secure a coastline. Personnel exchanges and joint planning sessions at the Sekondi Naval Base build the institutional trust needed for rapid response during real world emergencies. This trust is the foundation of the Yaoundé Architecture, the regional framework for maritime safety.
The next phase of bilateral cooperation will likely involve more complex “at sea” maneuvers. These drills will test the ability of Ghanaian and French vessels to coordinate during simulated boarding operations. Such exercises are scheduled to take place later this year during the multi national Obangame Express series.
As the Jacoubet prepares for its final year of service, its current mission shows the enduring value of the D’Estienne d’Orves design. The vessel remains a workhorse for the French Navy’s overseas commitments. Its presence in Sekondi reinforces the message that maritime security in the Gulf of Guinea remains a priority for both Accra and Paris.
Future deliveries of new French patrol craft will likely lead to even deeper technical integration between the two navies. For now, the successful conclusion of the Jacoubet’s visit ensures that the immediate patrol gap is closed. Continuous monitoring of the Gulf of Guinea remains the primary objective for the coming months.