Tourville-class frigate


The F67 type, also known as the Tourville class was a class of large high-sea destroyers of the French Navy specialised in anti-submarine warfare. They had anti-air and anti-surface capabilities.
Between 1994 and 1996, Tourville and De Grasse were refitted with the modern SLASM anti-submarine system, and active Very Low Frequency sonar.

Design

The ships are an enlarged version of the frigate Aconit. They have two shaft steam turbine machinery and a double hangar for two Lynx WG13 helicopters. They were the first ships fitted with the marine version of the Crotale surface-to-air missile system. A Malafon anti-submarine missile system was fitted when the ships were built but this was removed during refits in the late 1980s.
Optimized for anti-submarine warfare, and carrying towed as well as hull-mounted sonar arrays, the Tourvilles were typically placed in the destroyer category of warship and carry destroyer pennant numbers. Similar in many regards to the unmodified destroyers, they carried a similar combination of sensors, naval guns, anti-ship and anti-submarine weapons, aircraft and surface-to-air missiles. Additionally, they were well-regarded for their seakeeping, serving much of their careers in the Atlantic rather than with France's Mediterranean fleet.

Ships

The three ships of the class, D612 De Grasse, D611 Duguay-Trouin and D610 Tourville, are named major figures from French naval history. De Grasse and Tourville were French admirals and Duguay-Trouin coming to fame as a privateer.
The three ships of the class were all constructed by Arsenal de Lorient.
Pennant numberShipLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedStatus
D61013 May 197221 June 197416 June 2011Laid Up
D6111 June 197317 September 197513 July 1999Discarded, in use as a breakwater
D61230 November 19741 October 19775 May 2013Laid Up