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French Intelligence Vessel Heads to Baltic Sea to Monitor Russia’s Shadow Fleet

A French intelligence vessel has been deployed to the Baltic Sea and is now a key element of NATO’s Baltic Sentry operation, initiated in January and aimed at securing seabed infrastructure.

The French Navy’s intelligence vessel Dupuy de Lôme, having arrived in the Baltic Sea, has begun its inaugural mission focused on monitoring Russia’s naval activities—particularly the shadow fleet.

On May 21 this year, the specially designed French surveillance ship — a veritable maritime giant equipped with advanced electromagnetic survey tools — commenced its patrol along critical maritime routes.

Every radio wave, radar pulse, and electromagnetic emission leaves behind a digital fingerprint. Dupuy de Lôme was purpose-built to detect, collect, and analyze precisely these elusive signals.

As one of the most essential assets in the French Navy’s intelligence arsenal, the ship specializes in uncovering and interpreting subtle clues that typically remain invisible to others.

Operated by France’s Directorate of Military Intelligence (DRM), the vessel is dedicated to signals intelligence (SIGINT) and processing gathered information to support joint military operations.

Since entering service in October 2005 and embarking from its home port of Brest on global missions beginning July 1, 2006, Dupuy de Lôme has now extended its reach into the Baltic Sea.

The intelligence ship’s Baltic Sea mission is to monitor operations of Russia’s so-called shadow fleet.

These vessels, often aging oil tankers operated in secrecy, are used to evade international sanctions. Such ships frequently sail under false flags, maintain opaque and constantly shifting ownership structures, and often lack adequate insurance or identification systems.

All of this creates significant risks to maritime security and the environment.

Equipped with sophisticated SIGINT capabilities, Dupuy de Lôme is tasked with detecting radio communications, radar signatures, and other electromagnetic emissions that could expose clandestine logistics and military operations.

News of the intelligence vessel’s arrival in the Baltic Sea was first reported by the Belarusian media outlet NEXTA and visually confirmed by Finnish defense observer Toni Mikkola, who photographed Dupuy de Lôme in the Port of Helsinki on May 20.

On the very same day, the Kremlin announced its intention to protect Russian vessels in the Baltic Sea "by all means necessary," following Estonia’s recent attempt to approach one of the shadow fleet’s tankers.

In what appeared to be retaliation, Russia later temporarily detained a Greek-owned oil tanker after it had departed Estonia, passing through Russian waters. Meanwhile, the Polish Navy responded to suspicious maneuvers by a vessel possibly linked to Russia near an undersea power cable connecting Poland and Sweden, deploying the ORP Heweliusz for inspection.

The deployment of the French intelligence vessel to the Baltic Sea is now a key element of NATO’s Baltic Sentry operation, initiated in January and aimed at securing maritime routes and enforcing sanctions through intelligence and surveillance operations.

Thus, Dupuy de Lôme currently functions as a floating surveillance center, providing NATO with a platform for enhanced situational awareness in one of Europe’s most complex maritime regions today.

In technical terms, the Dupuy de Lôme is a sizable vessel, measuring 101.75 meters (approximately 334 feet) in length, with a beam of 15.85 meters (around 52 feet), and a draft of 4.91 meters (about 16 feet).

Under standard conditions, it displaces 3,100 tons, reaching up to 3,600 tons when fully loaded. The ship has a cruising speed of 16 knots (approximately 18 mph or 29.6 km/h), providing a range of 3,400 nautical miles (about 6,300 kilometers), and can operate continuously at sea for up to 30 days.

Powering the vessel are two MaK 9 M 25 diesel engines, producing a combined output of 2,990 kW (4,065 horsepower). These main engines are complemented by two bow thrusters and auxiliary power systems, including Caterpillar diesel generators capable of delivering up to 2,720 kW of electrical power.

The ship is equipped with two DRBN-38 radar systems and an ARBR-21 electronic countermeasures detection system. Although its defensive armament is relatively modest—comprising only two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns—its primary strength lies in its comprehensive suite of electronic warfare and surveillance equipment.

The Dupuy de Lôme is operated by a reduced naval crew of just 30 personnel, supported by up to 80 specialized intelligence technicians. Onboard systems include an integrated command architecture and a computer-based maintenance management system (CMMS), enabling efficient operations.

With its deployment to the Baltic Sea, the Dupuy de Lôme significantly enhances NATO’s surveillance capabilities amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region. Until now, accurately determining the activities of the shadow fleet—and whether these vessels carry onboard intelligence and surveillance systems—has been notably challenging.

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