French frigate Courbet

Courbet is a general purpose stealth frigate of the French Navy (Marine Nationale) of the La Fayette class. She is the third French vessel named after the 19th-century Admiral Amédée Courbet.

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Courbet.

History
France
NameCourbet
NamesakeAdmiral Amédée Courbet
Laid down15 September 1993
Launched12 March 1994
Commissioned1 April 1997
HomeportToulon
IdentificationMMSI number: 228731000
Honours and
awards		Flies the FNFL jack in honour of the battleship Courbet
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeLa Fayette-class frigate
Displacement
  • 3,280 t (3,230 long tons)
  • 3,680 t (3,620 long tons) fully loaded[1]
Length125 m (410 ft 1 in)
Beam15.4 m (50 ft 6 in)
Draught4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Propulsion4 SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2 diesel engines, 16,000 kW (21,000 hp)
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement170+;[2] around 6 additional personnel on Courbet post-upgrade[3]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × Air/Surface DRBV 15C sentry radar
  • 1 x SENIT FLF combat management system (replaced previous Thales TAVITAC CMS during 2020-21 refit)[4]
  • 1 × firing control radar for the 100 mm gun
  • 1 × DRBN34 navigation radar
  • 1 × DRBN34 landing radar
  • KingKlip Mk2 hull-mounted sonar (incorporated during 2020-21 refit)
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 1 × Saïgon ARBG 1 radio interceptor
  • 1 × ARBR 21 radar interceptor
  • 2 × Dagaie Mk2 chaff launcher
  • 1 × AN/SLQ-25 Nixie tugged noise maker
  • 1 × Prairie-Masker noise reduction system
  • 1 × Syracuse II
  • 1 × Inmarsat
Armament
ArmourOn sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre)
Aircraft carried1 × helicopter (Panther or NH90)

Construction and career

Courbet took part in Opération Baliste. On 3 October 2006, an Israeli fighter aircraft penetrated her 2-nautical-mile (4 km) defence perimeter without responding to radio calls, triggering a diplomatic incident. Israel apologised after official protests from the French government. Throughout September the ship was involved in anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, helping to recapture a yacht taken by pirates on 2 September.

In December 2009 Courbet escorted the French Navy cruiser Jeanne d'Arc on her final voyage. This was last trip of the helicopter carrier that served as a floating embassy and symbol of the French Navy for 46 years. Jeanne d'Arc's last voyage in company with Courbet included visits to Africa, South America including Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, the French Antilles, the United States including New York City, and Canada. The voyage was completed sometime in May 2010.[7]

In June 2020, while on patrol to counter alleged arms smuggling to Libya, France claimed that Turkish frigates illuminated Courbet three times with their fire control radar, a claim which was denied by Turkish officials.[8]

On her first operational deployment after her mid-life upgrade, Courbet, operating in the Gulf of Guinea in conjunction with the helicopter assault ship Mistral, was involved in the seizure of just under 2 tons of drugs in May 2022.[9]

In September 2023, while operating in the Mediterranean the frigate experienced a fire on board. Although no one was reported injured and the fire was extinguished, she as compelled to return to Toulon for evaluation and repair.[10]

Upgrade

Courbet was the first ship of her class to begin a mid-life upgrade in October 2020. The upgrade is designed to permit the frigate to operate through the 2020s and into the 2030s and incorporates the addition of hull-mounted sonar, improved point air defence systems as well as the capacity to carry the latest variant of the Exocet anti-ship missile.[11] The frigate returned to sea in June 2021 following her upgrade.[6] She is projected to remain in service until 2032.[12]

In future it is also planned to incorporate the CANTO anti-torpedo countermeasures system in the frigate.[13]

References
  1. Groizeleau, Vincent (28 November 2022). "La frégate La Fayette de nouveau opérationnelle après sa rénovation". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  2. "La Fayette Class Frigate". Naval Technology. 3 May 2001.
  3. Vavasseur, Xavier (3 February 2023). "French Mission Jeanne D'Arc 2023 To Sail Across Indo-Pacific". Naval News.
  4. "First Upgraded la Fayette-class Frigate back into the French Fleet". Naval News. 18 October 2021.
  5. Vavasseur, Xavier (17 October 2022). "First Exocet MM40 Block 3c Missiles Set For December Delivery". Naval News. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  6. Groizeleau, Vincent (15 April 2021). "Première FLF rénovée, la frégate Courbet remise à l'eau". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  7. "French Warship on Last Trip Delivers Books to NYC Students" (PDF) (Press release). Consulate general of France NYC. 10 March 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2011. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  8. "Libya crisis: France suspends Nato mission role amid Turkey row". BBC News. 2 July 2020. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  9. "New Drug Seizure By The French Navy In The Gulf Of Guinea". Naval News. 25 May 2022. Retrieved 27 May 2022.
  10. Groizeleau, Vincent (22 September 2023). "La frégate Courbet interrompt sa mission et rentre à Toulon après un incendie dans ses machines". Mer et Marine. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  11. "Naval Group starts renovation and upgrade of French Navy Courbet La Fayette-class frigate". Navy Recognition. October 2020. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  12. Groizeleau, Vincent (2 January 2021). "Marine nationale : les programmes qui vont façonner la future flotte française". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  13. Manaranche, Martin (31 July 2021). "Video: French Navy's La Fayette-Class Frigate Mid-Life Update". Naval News. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
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