After the successful trials of the La Combattante patrol boat (P730) in the 1960s, the French Navy began mass producing similar "fast patrol boats". The four Trident-class boats were built in the 1970s. They were intended to support larger ships and patrol the French coastline. The third Trident-class vessel, the Glaive, spent its entire service with the French Navy in the North Sea. Starting in 1986, the Trident class was replaced by the more advanced P-400 class, and the older boats, including the Glaive and the La Combattante, were transferred to the Maritime Gendarmerie. There, all armaments except for the Browning machine guns were removed. Three Trident boats remained in service until the late 1990s, while the Glaive was not decommissioned until 2015.

The Glaive was introduced as a reward for the 2026 "Maritime Gendarme" event. It is a fast boat with a powerful 40mm Bofors gun. However, it lacks torpedoes for engaging large ships, and its big size makes it an easy target.