Tourville-class frigate
 De Grasse
| |
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name | Tourville class |
| Builders | Arsenal de Lorient |
| Operators |  French Navy |
| Preceded by | Aconit |
| Succeeded by | Georges Leygues class |
| Built | 1970–1977 |
| In commission | 1974–2013 |
| Completed | 3 |
| Retired | 3 |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Type | Frigate |
| Displacement | |
| Length | 152.8 m (501 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 15.3 m (50 ft 2 in) |
| Draught | 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in) |
| Installed power |
|
| Propulsion | 2 × shafts; 2 × steam turbines |
| Speed | 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) |
| Range | 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement | 282 |
| Sensors and processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys | 2 × Syllex chaff launchers |
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 2 × Westland Lynx helicopters |
| Aviation facilities | Double hangar |
The F67 type, also known as the Tourville class, consisted of three guided-missile frigates built for the French Navy during the 1970s. They were designed as convoy escorts during the Cold War.
Design and description
[edit]
The Tourville-class ships were designed as anti-submarine (ASW) escorts for convoys in the North Atlantic and are enlarged versions of the older Aconit, designed around a requirement to accommodate two Westland Lynx helicopters and Exocet anti-ship missiles.[1] They have an overall length of 152.8 metres (501 ft 4 in), a beam of 15.3 m (50 ft 2 in) and a draught of 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in). The ships have a standard displacement of 4,580 tonnes (4,510 long tons) and 5,745 tonnes (5,654 long tons) at full load. The Tourvilles were powered by two geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by four boilers. The turbines were rated at 54,400 shaft horsepower (55,200 PS; 40,600 kW) to give the ships a maximum speed of 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) and a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph). The frigate had a complement of 292 sailors including 17 officers.[2]
The primary anti-ship weapon of the Tourvilles consisted of six single box launchers for MM38 Exocet missiles, located to the rear of the bridge with three launchers on each broadside. The frigates were designed with three 100-millimetre (3.9 in) Modèle 1968 guns in single-gun turrets; one superfiring pair forward of the bridge and the third gun positioned atop the rear superstructure. Tourville and Duguay-Trouin were completed with this configuration, but De Grasse had the aft gun deleted in anticipation of a Crotale anti-aircraft missile system being installed at that location. They were also equipped with two 20 mm (0.8 in) guns. The anti-submarine weapons of the Tourville-class ships included a Malafon anti-submarine missile launcher between the fore and aft superstructures for which they carried 13 missiles. They had two launchers for L5 torpedoes, one on each side of the ship. Each ship carried ten torpedoes. The Tourvilles were the first French ships of destroyer-size or larger designed to carry helicopters, a pair of Lynx ASW helicopters in a double hangar at the stern.[1][2]
They were equipped with a DRBV 51B search radar, a DRBC 32D fire-control radar and a DRBV 26 early-warning radar. For anti-submarine warfare, they were equipped with DUBV 23 hull-mounted sonar and DUBV 43 towed variable depth sonar. For electronic defence, the vessels mounted two Syllex chaff launchers. The SENIT 3 tactical data system coordinated sensor data.[1][2]
Ships
[edit]| Pennant number | Ship | Launched | Commissioned | Decommissioned | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D610 | Tourville | 13 May 1972 | 21 June 1974 | 16 June 2011[3] | Laid Up |
| D611 | Duguay-Trouin | 1 June 1973 | 17 September 1975 | 13 July 1999 | Discarded, in use as a breakwater |
| D612 | De Grasse | 30 November 1974 | 1 October 1977 | 5 May 2013[4] | Laid Up |
Notes
[edit]- ^ a b c Jordan 1995, p. 113.
- ^ a b c Moore 1981, p. 164.
- ^ "La frégate Tourville prend sa retraite" [The frigate Tourville retires]. Mer et Marine (in French). 15 June 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2012.
- ^ "La frégate De Grasse retirée du service actif". Mer et Marine (in French). 13 May 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2014.
References
[edit]
- Jordan, John (1995). "France". In Chumbley, Stephen (ed.). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. pp. 95–131. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
- Moore, John, ed. (1981). Jane's Fighting Ships 1981–82. London: Jane's Publishing. ISBN 0-531-03977-3.
- Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2004). Jane's Fighting Ships 2004–2005. Coulsdon, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-2623-1.
