Jump to content

Georges Leygues-class frigate

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Georges Leygues frigate)
Class overview
NameGeorges Leygues class
BuildersArsenal de Brest
Operators French Navy
Preceded byTourville class
Succeeded byAquitaine class (anti-submarine variant)
Built1974–1988
In commission1979 – 2022
Completed7
Retired7
General characteristics (as built)
TypeFrigate
Displacement
Length139 m (456 ft)
Beam14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Draught5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
Propulsion
Speed30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range9,500 nmi (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph)
Sensors and
processing systems
Electronic warfare
& decoys		2 × Syllex chaff launchers
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × Westland Lynx helicopters
Aviation facilitiesDouble hangar

The Georges Leygues class (Type C70 AS or Type F70 AS) consisted of seven guided-missile destroyers built for the French Navy during the Cold War. They were multi-role ships due to their Exocet and Crotale missile armament, making them especially suitable for the defence of strategic positions, show of force operations, or as high seas escorts. The design was initially officially known as a "corvette" with the designation C70, but were internationally labelled an "anti-submarine destroyer" (hence the "D" in the hull numbers).[1] Subsequently, the French referred to the ships as "frigates" with the designation F70.[2]

Design and description

[edit]

The Georges Leygues-class ships were designed as anti-submarine (ASW) escorts for the fleet.[3] They had an overall length of 139 metres (456 ft), a beam of 14 m (45 ft 11 in) and a draught of 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in). The ships had a standard displacement of 3,830 tonnes (3,770 long tons) and 4,500–4,580 tonnes (4,430–4,510 long tons) at full load. The Georges Leyguess' propulsion machinery used a CODOG configuration with one SEMT-Pielstick 16PA6-V280 diesel engine and a Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbine were coupled to each of the two propeller shafts. The diesels were used for speeds under 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) and the gas turbines for sprints up to 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). The diesels were rated at a total of 12,800 metric horsepower (12,600 bhp; 9,400 kW) and the turbines at a total of 46,200 shp (46,800 PS; 34,500 kW).[4] The combination give the ships a range of 9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph). The frigates had a complement of 216 sailors.[3]

The primary anti-ship weapon of the Georges Leyguess consisted of four single box launchers for MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles, located aft of the funnel with two launchers on each broadside. The frigates were designed with a single 100-millimetre (3.9 in) Modèle 1968 dual-purpose gun in a single-gun turret forward of the superstructure. They were also equipped with two 20 mm (0.8 in) guns. The ships were fitted with a octuple Crotale anti-aircraft missile launcher with 26 reloads located on the aft superstructure. The anti-submarine| (ASW) weapons of the Georges Leygues-class ships consisted of two torpedo launchers , one on each side of the ship. Each ship carried ten torpedoes. The ships were designed to carry helicopters, a pair of Westland Lynx ASW helicopters in a double hangar at the stern.[3][4]

They were completed with a DRBV 51C search radar, a DRBC 32E fire-control radar and a DRBV 26 early-warning radar. For anti-submarine warfare, they were equipped with a DUBV 23B hull-mounted sonar and DUBV 43B towed variable depth sonar. For electronic defence, the vessels mounted two Syllex chaff launchers. The SENIT 4 tactical data system coordinated sensor data.[3][4]

The superstructures were built to optimise resistance to the blast from nuclear explosions. The last three ships of the class had their bridges raised one deck to overcome problems experienced by the first four in bad weather, as well as being equipped with DSBV 61 passive linear towed array sonar and several other upgraded systems.[5]

Latouche-Tréville departing Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, 21 September 2009.

Ships in class

[edit]
Georges Leygues-class frigates
Name Pennant number Builder Laid down Launched Commissioned Decommissioned
Georges Leygues D 640 Arsenal de Brest 16 September 1974 17 December 1976 10 December 1979 21 March 2014[2]
Dupleix D 641 17 October 1975 2 December 1978 13 June 1981 July 2015
Montcalm D 642 5 December 1975 31 May 1980 28 May 1982 3 July 2017[6]
Jean de Vienne D 643 26 October 1979 17 November 1981 25 May 1984 9 January 2019
Primauguet D 644 17 November 1981 17 March 1984 5 November 1986 1 April 2019
La Motte-Picquet D 645 12 February 1982 6 February 1985 18 February 1988 13 October 2020[7]
Latouche-Tréville D 646 15 February 1984 19 March 1988 16 July 1990 1 July 2022[8]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Ireland, Bernard (1984). Navies of the West. London: Ian Allan. p. 26. ISBN 0-71-101339-X.
  2. ^ a b "Retrait définitif du service pour la frégate Georges Leygues" (in French). ActuNautique.com. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  3. ^ a b c d Jordan 1995, p. 114.
  4. ^ a b c Moore 1981, p. 164.
  5. ^ Miller, David; Miller, Chris (1986). Modern Naval Combat. USA: Salamandar Books. pp. 100–101. ISBN 0-517-61350-6.
  6. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (2017-07-07). "La frégate Montcalm a tiré sa révérence". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  7. ^ "La Motte-Picquet : dernière cérémonie des couleurs à Brest". Mer et Marine (in French). 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  8. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (5 July 2022). "Fin du Latouche-Tréville : la Marine nationale tourne la page des frégates du type F70". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 6 July 2022.

Bibliography

[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.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Georges_Leygues-class_frigate&oldid=1285292546"