Gabonese fast attack craft President El Hadj Omar Bongo


President El Hadj Omar Bongo was a fast attack craft in service with the Gabon Navy. The vessel was constructed in France and entered service in 1978. It was later renamed General Nazaire Boulingui. The FAC was re-engined in 1985.

Description and design

The FAC had a full load displacement of and measured long overall with a beam of and a draught of. President El Hadj Omar Bongo had a triple-skinned mahogany hull. The vessel was powered by three MTU 20V 672 TY90 diesel engines turning three shafts rated at. The FAC had capacity for diesel fuel and had a maximum speed of and a range of at. During sea trials, the vessel reached a maximum speed of at.
President El Hadj Omar Bongo was equipped with Racal Decca RM1226 navigational radar. The FAC mounted two twin-mounted SS12M surface-to-surface missiles and had one gun and one DCN gun for anti-aircraft defence. The vessel had a complement of 20 including 3 officers.

Construction and career

The ship was built by Chantiers Navals de l'Esterel in Cannes, France. The vessel was launched on 21 November 1977, and commissioned into the Gabon Navy on 7 August 1978. The ship was named after the then-ruler of Gabon, Omar Bongo. The vessel's name was later changed to General Nazaire Boulingui. The FAC was re-engined in 1985, receiving three SACM 195 V12 CSHR diesel engines rated at. This gave the vessel a maximum speed of. In 2000 General Nazaire Boulingui was re-activated.