French frigate De Grasse (D 612)

De Grasse is a F67 type large high-sea frigate of the French Marine Nationale specialised in anti-submarine warfare, though she also has anti-air and anti-surface capabilities. She is named after the 18th century admiral count François Joseph Paul de Grasse.

For other ships with the same name, see French ship De Grasse.
History
France
Name: De Grasse
Namesake: François Joseph Paul de Grasse
Builder: Arsenal de Lorient
Laid down: 1972
Launched: 30 November 1974
Commissioned: 25 October 1975
Decommissioned: 5 May 2013
In service: 1 October 1977
Homeport: Brest
Identification: D 612
Status: Laid up
General characteristics
Class and type: Tourville-class frigate
Displacement: 4580 tonnes (6100 tonnes fully loaded)
Length: 152.75 m (501.1 ft)
Beam: 15.80 m (51.8 ft)
Draught: 6.60 m (21.7 ft)
Installed power:
  • 4 multitubular boilers
  • 58,000 hp (43,000 kW)
Propulsion:
  • 2 Rateau steam turbines, double reduction
  • Gazoil fuel
  • 2 fixed propellers
Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range:
  • 1,900 nmi (3,500 km; 2,200 mi) at 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph)
  • 4,500 nmi (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement:
  • 24 officers
  • 160 non-commissioned officers
  • 115 men
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • 1 DRBV 51B surface sentry radar
  • 1 DRBV 26A air sentry radar
  • 1 DRBC 32D targeting radar
  • 2 DRBN 34 navigation radars
  • 1 DUBV 23 hull sonar
  • 1 ETBF DSBV 62C sonar
  • 1 DSBX 1 tugged sonar
  • 1 Syva torpedo alert system
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • 1 ARBB 32 jammer
  • 1 ARBR 16 radar interceptor
  • 2 Syllex decoy launchers
  • bubble belt
  • SENIT 3
  • SEAO/OPSMER
  • HF, UHF, VHF and SHF liaison systems
  • Syracuse 2
  • Inmarsat
  • Link 11
Armament:
  • Anti-ship;
    • 6 × Exocet MM38 anti-ship missiles
  • Anti-submarine;
    • 2 × L5 torpedo launchers, 10 torpedoes on board (L5 mod 4)
  • Guns;
    • 2 × 100 mm turrets (1968 model)
    • 2 × 20 mm cannons
    • 4 × 12.7 mm machine guns
  • CIWS;
    • 1 × Crotale EDIR CIWS anti-air missiles (8 missiles on launcher, 16 in magazine)
Aircraft carried: 2 × Lynx WG13 anti-ship submarine

Service history

Between 1994 and 1996, De Grasse and her sister Tourville were refitted with the modern SLAMS anti-submarine system, an active Very Low Frequencies sonar.

In April 2006, De Grasse lost her towed sonar array during an exercise in heavy seas. The incident was reported by the Canard Enchaîné; an investigation was launched to ascertain responsibilities for the loss of the 3 million euro worth sonar array. Meanwhile, the spare sonar of the decommissioned Duguay-Trouin was fitted on De Grasse.

De Grasse was decommissioned on 5 May 2013 and is now moored in the Penfeld.

  • The frigate De Grasse
  • Aft of the frigate De Grasse; the towed sonar is clearly visible
  • The command bridge of De Grasse
  • The frigate De Grasse, harboured in Portsmouth, for the International Festival of the Sea (25 August 2001).
De Grasse (centre left) in a 5-country multinational fleet, during Operation Enduring Freedom in the Oman Sea.

Sources and references
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