Georges Leygues-class frigate

The Georges Leygues class (Type C70 AS or Type F70 AS) was a class of anti-submarine destroyers of the French Navy.[3] 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).[4] Subsequently, the French referred to the ships as "frigates" with the designation F70.[5]

Montcalm, a Georges Leygues-class frigate
Class overview
NameGeorges Leygues class
BuildersBrest arsenal
Operators French Navy
Preceded byTourville class
Succeeded byAquitaine class (anti-submarine variant)
Built1974–1988
In commission10 December 1979 – 1 July 2022
Completed7
Retired7
General characteristics
TypeFrigate
Displacement
  • 3,550 t (3,494 long tons)
  • 4,500 t (4,429 long tons) full load
Length139 m (456 ft 0 in)
Beam14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Draught5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
Propulsion
  • CODOG
  • 2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 26,000 hp (19,388 kW) each
  • 2 × SEMT Pielstick 16PA6-V280 diesel engines, 5,200 hp (3,878 kW) each
Speed30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range7,400 nmi (13,700 km; 8,500 mi)
Complement235
Armament
Aircraft carried2 × Westland Lynx anti-ship helicopters (retired 2020);[2] From 2020: AS565 Panther or Alouette III (on remaining vessel D646)

Design

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.[6]

The Georges Leygues-class frigate Latouche-Tréville departing Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, 21 September 2009.

Ships in class
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[5]
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[7]
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[8]
Latouche-Tréville D 646 15 February 1984 19 March 1988 16 July 1990 1 July 2022[9]

See also

References
  1. "Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyer Type F70 ASW Anti-submarine Frigate Frégates anti-sous-marins FASM D640 D641 D642 D643 D644 D645 D646 DUBV-43 DSBV-61 Marine Nationale French Navy DCNS datasheet pictures photos video specifications". navyrecognition.com. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  2. Grolleau, Henri-Pierre (5 July 2019). "French Navy brings forward Lynx retirement". Janes.com. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  3. Avery, Derek (1987). Modern Warships. London: Collins. pp. 80–81. ISBN 0-00-458855-X.
  4. Ireland, Bernard (1984). Navies of the West. London: Ian Allan. p. 26. ISBN 0-71-101339-X.
  5. "Retrait définitif du service pour la frégate Georges Leygues" (in French). ActuNautique.com. 24 March 2014. Retrieved 19 November 2014.
  6. Miller, David; Miller, Chris (1986). Modern Naval Combat. USA: Salamandar Books. pp. 100–101. ISBN 0-517-61350-6.
  7. Groizeleau, Vincent (2017-07-07). "La frégate Montcalm a tiré sa révérence". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 2017-07-07.
  8. "La Motte-Picquet : dernière cérémonie des couleurs à Brest". Mer et Marine (in French). 15 October 2020. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
  9. 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.
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