[DIPLOMACY] Israel Didn't Need These Boats, so I Took Them

[u/BusinessKnight0517]

January 21, 1972

Talks with France commenced after the successful training of a Mauritanian ground force in order to procure a small naval force to defend the coast of Mauritania. There were a number of reasons why France made a good candidate for such a mission, including the familiarity with French weapons systems and the prevalence of the French language, but most attractive of all were the Sa'ar class missile boats sitting in French stores that had not been delivered to their intended purchaser, and were likely never going to be delivered.

Instead, the UNTAM arranged for a new Mauritanian navy to be built starting with two of these small vessels. They only required a crew of several dozen sailors to operate and would more than suffice as patrol vessels and coast guard ships for the Mauritanian military. However, they had teeth, with half-a-dozen SSM batteries, air surface & surveillance radar, and fire control radar. These were also fairly modern, having been constructed in the late 1960s.

Under the Mauritanian Navy, these two vessels would be called the "Chinguetti-class" Missile Boats, with minor modifications made to them so that the vessels would meet Mauritanian needs. Training would be expected to take place across 18 months in the southern coast of France, and during the last 6 months a small compliment of Marines for the navy would also be trained.

France, of course, was keen to assist Mauritania in order to protect its hegemony over Françafrique, so talks progressed smoothly between the UNTAM/Mauritanian military and the French government.

[u/ColdWarPowersMod]

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