Georges Leygues-class frigate

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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). Subsequently, the French referred to the ships as "frigates" with the designation F70.

Design and description

The Georges Leygues-class ships were designed as anti-submarine (ASW) escorts for the fleet.Template:Sfn They had an overall length of Template:Convert, a beam of Template:Cvt and a draught of Template:Cvt. The ships had a standard displacement of Template:Convert and Template:Convert 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 Template:Convert and the gas turbines for sprints up to Template:Convert. The diesels were rated at a total of Template:Convert and the turbines at a total of Template:Cvt.Template:Sfn The combination give the ships a range of Template:Convert at Template:Convert. The frigates had a complement of 216 sailors.Template:Sfn

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 [[French 100 mm naval gun|Template:Convert Modèle 1968]] dual-purpose gun in a single-gun turret forward of the superstructure. They were also equipped with two Template:Cvt 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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

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.Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn

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.

File:FS Latouche Treville (D 646).jpg

departing Portsmouth Naval Base, UK, 21 September 2009.

Ships in class

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

External links

• ASM type F70 – Marine nationale official site Template:In lang