French frigate Prairial

Prairial is a Floréal-class frigate (French: frégate de surveillance) of the French Navy. She is the second ship of the class, and the second French warship named after the ninth month of the Republican Calendar.. The ship was constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire, France in 1992 and entered service in 1993. Prairial is stationed in the French Pacific territories for patrol duties.

For other ships with the same name, see Prairial (ship).
Frigate Prairial
History
France
Name: Prairial
Namesake: Month of Prairial
Ordered: 20 January 1989
Builder: Chantiers de l'Atlantique
Laid down: 11 September 1990
Launched: 16 March 1991
Commissioned: 20 May 1992
Homeport: Tahiti
Status: Active
General characteristics
Class and type: Floréal-class frigate
Displacement:
  • 2,600 t (2,600 long tons)
  • 3,000 t (2,950 long tons) full load
Length: 93.5 m (306 ft 9 in)
Beam: 14 m (45 ft 11 in)
Draught: 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in)
Propulsion:
  • 4 × SEMT Pielstick 6 PA6 L280 BPC diesel engines
  • 6,580 kW (8,820 hp)
  • 2 shafts, 1 × 203 kW (272 hp) bow thruster
Speed: 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range: 9,000 nmi (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Troops: 24 marines
Complement: 90
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • DRBV-21C (Mars) air sentry radar
  • Racal Decca RM1290 navigation radar
  • Racal Decca RM1290 landing radar
Electronic warfare
& decoys:
  • ARBG-1A Saïgon
  • 2 Dagaie decoy systems
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 Panther helicopter
Aviation facilities: Flight deck and hangar

Design and description

The Floréal-class frigates were designed in response to a demand for a cheap warship capable of operating in low threat areas and able to perform general patrol functions. As a result, the Floréal class were constructed to mercantile standards in the areas of ammunition stowage, helicopter facilities and damage control, which significantly lowered the cost of the vessels. The Floréal class were designed for using modular construction which shortened their building times.[1]

Prairial has a standard displacement of 2,600 tonnes (2,600 long tons) and 3,000 tonnes (2,950 long tons) at full load. The frigate measures 85.2 metres (279 ft 6 in) long between perpendiculars and 93.5 metres (306 ft 9 in) overall with a beam of 14 metres (45 ft 11 in) and a draught of 4.3 m (14 ft 1 in).[2][3] Due the frigate's broad beam, the ship is equipped with fin stabilisers.[4]

The frigate is powered by a combined diesel and diesel (CODAD) system comprising four SEMT Pielstick 6 PA6 L280 BPC diesel engines driving two shafts each turning a LIPS controllable pitch propeller. The CODAD system is rated at 6,580 kilowatts (8,820 hp) The vessel is also equipped with one 203-kilowatt (272 hp) bow thruster. Due to the mercantile construction design, the four diesels are all located within one machinery room for ease of maintenance. Both diesel fuel and TR5 aviation fuel is brought aboard at a single location at the stern compared to naval-constructed vessels which sport two. The ship also has three 750 kW (1,010 hp) diesel-electrical generators located just fore and aft of the machinery room.[4][5] Prairial has a maximum speed of 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph) and a range of 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).[2]

Prairial was armed with two Exocet MM38 surface-to-surface missiles in launchers situated centrally atop the midships superstructure.[2] However, at the end of the missile's life cycle in 2014, the launchers were removed as the French Navy did not intend to replace the capability aboard the ships.[6] The ship also mounts one 100 mm CADAM turret with the Najir fire control system located forwards and two 20 mm modèle F2 guns situated in atop the aft superstructure. The ship is equipped with DRBV-21C (Mars) air sentry, Racal Decca RM1290 navigation and Racal Decca RM1290 landing radars along with ARBG-1A Saïgon communications intercept, CSF ARBR 16A radar intercept electronic surveillance systems and two Dagaie decoy systems.[2]

The frigate is equipped with a 30-by-15-metre (98 by 49 ft) helicopter landing pad located on the stern and a 10-by-15-metre (33 by 49 ft) hangar.[2][7] The ship is capable of operating the embarked Eurocopter AS565 Panther up to sea state 5.[2][4] Prairial is capable of operating helicopters up to the size of the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma. The ship has a complement of 90 including the aircrew and officers and 24 marines with capacity for a further 13 personnel.[2]

Construction and career
Prairial in Hong Kong, April 2006

Prairial was ordered as part of the first pair on 20 January 1989 from Chantiers de l'Atlantique for construction at their yard in Saint-Nazaire, France and the keel was laid down on 11 September 1990. The frigate was built using modular construction methods which reduced the vessel's construction time. Prairial was launched on 16 March 1991 and commissioned into the French Navy on 20 May 1992.[1][2][note 1] Following sea trials, Prairial sailed for Arsenal de Lorient, Lorient where the weapons and sensors were installed and underwent further trials.[4]

After entering service, Prairial was assigned to the French Pacific territories, based at Tahiti.[2] Prairial was deployed to East Timor as part of the Australian-led INTERFET peacekeeping taskforce from 16 October to 29 November 1999.[8]

Prairial during RIMPAC 2016

On 13 February 2016, the frigate intercepted a 12-metre (39 ft), Panamanian-flagged sailboat in Pacific waters. Three crew members were arrested and 680 kilograms (1,500 lb) of cocaine was seized.[9] In July 2016, Prairial participated in RIMPAC 2016, a large multi-national naval exercise off the coast of Hawaii, as the only representative of the European Union.[10]

From 27 July to 2 August 2018, the frigate took part in RIMPAC 2018.[11] In March 2019, Prairial intercepted 800 kilograms (1,800 lb) of cocaine after a panga was spotted adrift off the coast of Nicaragua in international waters.[12]

Notes
  1. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon have the ship launched on 23 March 1991.

Citations
  1. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, pp. 119–120.
  2. Saunders 2009, p. 258.
  3. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 119.
  4. Gardiner, Chumbley & Budzbon 1995, p. 120.
  5. Massicot 2010, pp. 53–54.
  6. Groizeleau, Vincent (26 November 2015). "Les frégates de surveillance évoluent" [Surveillance frigates are evolving]. meretmarine.com (in French). Retrieved 30 December 2019.
  7. Massicot 2010, p. 55.
  8. Stevens, David (2007). Strength Through Diversity: The Combined Naval Role in Operation Stabilise (PDF). Working Papers. 20. Canberra: Sea Power Centre - Australia. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-642-29676-4. ISSN 1834-7231. Archived from the original (PDF) on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2010.
  9. Lagneau, Laurent (16 February 2016). "La frégate de surveillance Prairial a saisi au moins de 680 kg de drogue en Polynésie" [The surveillance frigate Prairial seized at least 680 kg of drugs in Polynesia]. opex360.com (in French). Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  10. "La frégate Prairial intégée dans l'exercise international RIMPAC" [The frigate Prairial integrated into international exercise RIMPAC]. colsbleus.fr (in French). 2 August 2016. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  11. Groizeleau, Vincent (19 July 2018). "Le Prairial engagé dans l'exercice RIMPAC" [The Prairial engaged in the RIMPAC exercise]. meretmarine.com (in French). Retrieved 29 December 2019.
  12. "Le Prairial saisit près de 800kg de cocaïne en haute-mer" [The Prairial seizes nearly 800kg of cocaine on the high seas]. colsbleus.fr (in French). 27 March 2019. Retrieved 29 December 2019.
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References
  • Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen & Budzbon, Przemysław, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Massicot, Jean (2010). Navires de guerre et marine française (in French). Toulon, France: Desnoel. ISBN 978-1-4461-4597-5.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
  • Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009–2010 (112 ed.). Alexandria, Virginia: Jane's Information Group Inc. ISBN 0-7106-2888-9.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link)
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