BATRAL-class (Champlain)

The BATRAL (Bâtiment de Transport Léger) class, also known as the Champlain class after its lead ship, consists of landing ship tanks developed for the French Navy. Entering service in the 1970s, the class was designed to meet regional transport and patrol requirements in French Overseas Departments and Territories. In the early 1980s, the Chilean Navy acquired the design plans to construct ships domestically at the ASMAR shipyards.

The vessels are designed to transport material in a hangar and on the weather deck, with the capability to load and unload in harbors or directly onto beaches. For ship-to-shore transfer, the class carries two flat-bottom vessels used for moving personnel and light vehicles. Internal accommodations are configured to house Guépard-type intervention units or company-sized armored units. The ship's layout includes a helicopter landing deck that supports light helicopter operations and transfers with heavy helicopters. Electronic systems include Inmarsat communications and Decca 1226 navigation radar.

The French Navy operated five units: Champlain, Francis Garnier, Dumont D'Urville, Jacques Cartier, and La Grandière. These vessels were phased out of service by 2017, with their roles assumed by the Bâtiment Multimission (B2M) class. The Chilean Navy built three ships: Maipo, which was decommissioned in 1998, and Rancagua and Chacabuco, which remain in active service. The class has also been operated by the Côte d'Ivoire Navy, the Gabon Navy, and the Royal Moroccan Navy, the latter of which commissioned three units: Daoud Ben Aicha, Ahmed Es Skali, and Abou Abdallah El Ayachi.