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Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyer Type F70 ASM ASW Anti-submarine Frigates Frégates anti-sous-marines FASM D640 D641 D642 D643 D644 D645 D646 DUBV-43 DSBV-61 Marine Nationale French Navy DCNS datasheet pictures photos video specifications

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Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (ASW)
(Also known as Type F70 ASM, Anti-submarine Frigates, Frégates anti-sous-marines, FASM)
 
 
 
The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (typed by French Navy as frégates anti-sous-marines type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti-submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which now make them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well.
 
Description

The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (typed by French Navy as frégates anti-sous-marines type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti-submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which increased their self protection against air threats and made them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well.

Following the OP3A (Opération d’Amélioration de l’Autodéfense Anti-missiles or Improved Anti-missile Self-defense operation) refit program in the mid nineties, optronic sensors (Sagem Vigy 105), additional weapons (Sadral or Simbad launchers, 30mm Breda-Mauser guns...), new jamming systems and improved combat management system were installed on the ships of the class. The control position for the new weapons systems, installed first in D643 in 1996, is located in a new deckhouse atop the bridge superstructure and is used to provide own-ship defense within a 10-km radius. OP3A provides very rapid reaction time as well as continuous monitoring of the ship’s vicinity by a variety of optical, infrared, and radar sensors; a total of 16 video displays are provided for the various operators, with the unified system being known as SENIT 8.01 (or SARA) and interfaces with the principal SENIT 4 system. The deckhouse is surmounted by a faceted conical cockpit structure for the close-defense systems control petty officer, who has windows to see outside and is surrounded by the control displays.

The most important system onboard Georges Leygues class vessels is the DUBV-43 VDS (variable depth sonar). Primauguet (D644), La Motte-Picquet (D645) and Latouche-Tréville (D646) are fitted with the aditional DSBV-61B. DSBV-61 is a passive linear towed array sonar system combining a digital wet-end with an advanced technology sonar receiver built around the Mangouste Mk 2 processor. DSBV-61 is streamed from the DUBV-43 VDS "Fish". The fish can operate at depths down to 700 meters. It is usually operated concurrently with the DUBV-24C bow-mounted sonar.

Since 1999 head of class Georges Leygues (D640) is an Officers training ship. The destroyer has been involved in long cruise training missions alongside Jeanne d'Arc CVH (until 2010) or a French Navy LHD (Mistral class) every year since 1999.
 
Shiplist
Name
Hull Number
Laid Down
Commissioned
Homeport
Georges Leygues
D640
09/1974
12/1979
Brest
Dupleix
D641
10/1975
06/1981
Toulon
Montcalm
D642
12/1975
05/1982
Toulon
Jean de Vienne
D643
10/1979
05/1984
Toulon
Primauguet
D644
11/1981
11/1986
Brest
La Motte-Picquet
D645
02/1982
02/1988
Brest
Latouche-Tréville
D646
05/1985
07/1990
Brest
 
Variants
- Cassard class (Type F70 AA): Anti-Aircraft variant based on Georges Leygues Type F70 ASM class. The two classes have a different armament and propulsion system fitted in an almost identical hull.
Technical Data
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Design
The hull and superstructure are made of welded steel and designed to have good resilience in the blast of a nuclear explosion. Some automatic fin stabilizers are fitted. All vessels of the class have an NBC warfare protective citadel, and their navigation bridge is equipped with two optical periscopes. Accommodations for female crewmembers are incorporated in all except D645. The 21-m-long by 12.20-m-wide helicopter deck has a SPHEX (Système Pousseur pour Hélicoptère Embarqué Lynx) landing system with harpoon-type landing grid and two deck-traversing rails to move the helicopters in and out of the spacious hangar, which is 13.5 m long, 11.4 m wide, and 4.3 m high. All vessels had their hulls reinforced during 2002–03 due to hull cracking (Similar to Cassard class). The modifications added 120 tons of structural steel and required adding 210 tons of permanent ballast.

Main propulsion and auxiliary equipment is divided among four compartments, from forward to aft: forward auxiliary room, turbine room, diesel room with the reduction gears, and after auxiliary room. Full speed on the gas turbines can be reached in three minutes from a standing start. On diesel power and with the DUBV-43 sonar in the water, maximum speed is 19 knots. The CODOG propulsion control system transfers power automatically from the diesels to the gas turbines.
Weapons
  • Anti-air missiles:
    1x Crotale EDIR launcher (8x SAM in launcher, 18x in storage) (On all ships)
    2x 6-round Sadral short range SAM system (39x Mistral missiles) (D641, D642, D643 only)
    2x 2-round Simbad manned short range SAM system (D640, D644, D645, D646 only)
  • Anti-ship missiles:
    4x Exocet MM38 (D640, D641 only)
    8x Exocet MM40 Block2 (D642, D643, D644, D645, D646 only)
  • Guns:
    1x Creusot-Loire Compact 100mm/55 Mod 68 DP gun (main gun, on all ships)
    2x 30 mm Breda-Mauser guns (D641, D642, D643 only)
    2x 20mm F2 70-cal. Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns (D644, D645, D646 only)
    4x 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns
  • ASW:
    2x fixed KD-59E torpedo launchers (10x L5 mod 4 or MU-90 torpedoes) (On all ships)
Sensors, Electronics and Decoys
  • Combat Management and Information Systems:
    DCNS SENIT 4 + SENIT 8.01
    SEAO/OPSMER combat decision-making system
  • Optronics:
    1x Sagem DIBV-2A VAMPIR infra-red alert system (On all ships)
    1x Sagem DIBC-2A VIGY 105 command, surveillance and fire control system (D641 to D643)
    1x Sagem DIBC-1A PIRANA III command, surveillance and fire control system (D645, D646)
  • Radars:
    1x DRBV-51C (TRS 3035) air/surface surveillance and target designation radar (D640 only)
    1x DRBV-15A (Sea Tiger) air/surface surveillance and target designation radar (D641 to D645)
    1x DRBV-26A (Jupiter) early warning radar (D640 to D643)
    2x Racal-Decca DRBN-34 or Kelvin Hughes Type 1007 navigation and landing radars (On all ships)
    1x DRBC-32E fire control radar (D640 to D643)
    1x DRBC-33A fire control radar (D644 to D646)
  • Sonars:
    1x DUBV-23 hull-mounted sonar (D640 to D643)
    1x DUBV-24C hull-mounted sonar (D644 to D646)
    1x DUBV-43B/C Variable Depth Sonar (On all ships)
    1x DSBV-61 Towed Array Sonar (D644 to D646)
  • Decoys/Counter measures/Jammers:
    2x Syllex decoy launchers (D640 only)
    2x Matra Défense DAGAIE Mk2 decoy launchers (D641 to D646)
    4x Irvin Aerospace Replica Decoy launchers (D641 to D643)
    1x SLQ-25 Nixie towed acoustic torpedo decoy system (On all ships)
    1x Dassault ARBB 32B radar jammer (D640 only)
    2x Dassault ARBB 36 Salamandre radar jammers (D641 to D646)
    1x ARBR 16 (DR 2000S) radar warning/detector (D640 to D643)
    1x ARBR 17 (DR 4000) naval signals intelligence (SIGINT) and threat-warning systems (D644 to D646)
    1x ARBG-1A Saigon radio interceptor (D644 to D646 only)
    Prairie/Masker air-bubbler noise-suppression system
  • Communications:
    Link 11
    Link 14
    Satellite links: Inmarsat, SYRACUSE
Engines/Propulsion
Combined diesel or gas (CODOG) type: 2x Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines (26.000 bhp/19.120 kW)
2x SEMT-Pielstick 16 PA 6 CV 280 diesels (5.200 bhp/3.824 kW) for cruise speed
2x 4-bladed variable pitch propellers
4x Jeumont-Schneider diesel alternators (850-kw)
 
Specifications
Type
Anti-submarine Destroyer (DD)
Crew
22 Officers, 145 petty officers
77 junior ranks
Operators
French Navy
Performance
Speed: 30 kts
Range: 8,000 nm @ 15 kts
Endurance: 45 days
Displacement
4,830 tonnes (full)
Propulsion
2x Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines
2x SEMT-Pielstick 16 PA 6 CV 280 diesels
Aircraft
2x WG-13 LYNX ASW Helicopters
Dimensions
Length: 139 m
Bream: 15 m
Maximum Draft: 5.5 m
Detailed View
The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (typed by French Navy as frégates anti-sous-marines type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti-submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which now make them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well.
The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (typed by French Navy as frégates anti-sous-marines type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti-submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which now make them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well.
The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (typed by French Navy as frégates anti-sous-marines type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti-submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which now make them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well.
The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (typed by French Navy as frégates anti-sous-marines type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti-submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which now make them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well.
The Georges Leygues class anti-submarine destroyers (typed by French Navy as frégates anti-sous-marines type F 70 ASM or anti-submarine frigates) are primarily designed for anti-submarines warfare (ASW) missions and to provide escort to the French carrier battle group and SSBNs. Vessels of the class received upgrades to their combat systems which now make them capable warships for anti-surface warfare (ASuW) as well.
 
Pictures - Video
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