To do so it formed the Kership joint venture with the Piriou shipyard in Concarneau, Brittany in May 2013 to build and market lightly armed and armoured OPVs for customs, fishing and other home security missions.

DCNS said this would enable it to concentrate on "developing relations" with clients seeking, heavily armed and armoured warships while Kership handles the more civilian-standard OPVs.

[2] On 9 May 2010, DCNS started the building of one self-funded 1,410t Gowind patrol corvette called L'Adroit[3] and announced that the craft will be made available to the French Navy between 2012 and 2015.

[4] The vessel is designed for patrol and sovereignty enforcement in littoral and exclusive economic zone waters and offers three weeks' endurance and a range of 8,000 nautical miles (15,000 km; 9,200 mi).

Missions include special forces deployment by launching within 5 minutes and recovering two UFAST UFR 9.30 rigid-hulled inflatable boats from a stern ramp.