Mistral is questioned as a Canadian starting point because of the age of its design and limited speed. An eighteen-knot maximum is corrected to 18.8 knots, followed by quoted ranges of 10,700 nautical miles at fifteen knots and 5,800 at eighteen knots. The sharp loss of range illustrates the cost of operating above an efficient cruising speed. That tradeoff is related to diesel machinery and a hull designed around its economical operating point.
Notable Point · 2:22:41-2:25:41
Mistral's speed-range tradeoff in a Canadian amphibious comparison
Quoted Mistral range figures illustrate how a modest speed increase can substantially reduce endurance.