French destroyer Jauréguiberry (D637)
The fleet escort Jauréguiberry was a French destroyer of the T 53 class, designed for anti-air and (to a lesser extent) anti-submarine roles. She was the second French Navy vessel to bear the name.
| History | |
|---|---|
 France | |
| Name | Jauréguiberry |
| Namesake | Bernard Jauréguiberry |
| Laid down | September 1954 |
| Launched | 5 November 1955 |
| Commissioned | 15 July 1958 |
| Decommissioned | 16 September 1977 |
| Stricken | 30 May 1986 |
| Homeport | Brest |
| Identification | D 637 |
| Fate | Sunk as the target ship Q580 for the experimentation of the Exocet missile. |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | T 53-class destroyer |
| Displacement |
|
| Length | 128.6 m (422 ft) |
| Beam | 12.7 m (42 ft) |
| Draught | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 shaft geared turbines, 4 boilers, 63,000 hp (46,979 kW) |
| Speed | 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) |
| Range | 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) |
| Complement | 347 |
| Armament |
|
Laid down in September 1954, the vessel was launched on 5 November 1955. Jauréguiberry was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 15 July 1958 with the identification number D 637.
Service history
In 1966 and 1968, she was involved in two nuclear tests with "Force Alfa", and a third one in 1970 with the cruiser De Grasse, in the Pacific Ocean. In 1974, she achieved a long mission with the frigate Duquesne.
In the beginning of 1977, a few months before being decommissioned, she was used for the film "Le Crabe-Tambour" by Pierre Schoendoerffer. The ship was decommissioned 16 September 1977, its hull receiving No. Q580. It was then used as a target ship for testing an ARMAT anti-radar missile on 16 June 1982.
It was sunk on 30 May 1986 as a target during tests to test the Exocet MM40 missile.
Sources and references
- (in French) Escorteur d'Escadre Jauréguiberry, netmarine.net