T 53-class destroyer

The T 53 class were the second group of destroyers built for the French Navy after World War II. These ships were a modified version of the T 47-class destroyers. The main difference with the preceding ships was the provision of improved air warning and tracking radars as well as an anti-submarine mortar. The ships were built between 1957 and 1958 and were decommissioned in the late 1970s or early 1980s. A single modified ship La Galissonnière was built as a trials ship for a new generation of French weapons. This ship was designated as the T 56 class.

Class overview
Builders:
Operators:  French Navy
Preceded by: T 47 class
Succeeded by: Aconit
Subclasses:
  • T 56 class
  • Anti-submarine and anti-air variants after refit
In commission: 1957–1992
Completed: 6
Retired: 6
General characteristics
Type: Destroyer
Displacement:
  • 2,750 long tons (2,794 t) standard
  • 3,740 long tons (3,800 t) full load
Length: 128.6 m (421 ft 11 in)
Beam: 12.7 m (41 ft 8 in)
Draught: 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in)
Propulsion: 4 boilers, Geared turbines, 63,000 hp (46,979 kW), 2 shafts
Speed: 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range: 5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement:
  • 347:
  • 19 officers
  • 328 enlisted
Sensors and
processing systems:
  • DRBV31 surface sentry and navigation radar
  • 2 DRBC30 fire control radars
  • DRBI10B altimetry radar
  • DRBV22A combined sentry radar
  • DUBV 1B sonar
  • DUBA 1B sonar
Armament:

Modifications

In 1972–73 two of the class were substantially modified:

  • Duperré was completely rearmed with a Model 1968 100 mm (4 in) main gun, four Exocet MM38 missiles, two quadruple L5 torpedo launchers, and two 20 mm AA cannon. She was also fitted with a helipad to carry a Lynx WG13 helicopter.[1]
  • Forbin had her forward 57 mm turret removed, and her aft 127 mm turret was replaced by a helipad. She was then principally used as a naval aviation training ship alongside the helicopter cruiser Jeanne d'Arc.[2]

La Galissonnière

La Galissonnière differed slightly in specification from the rest of the class as she was built specifically to test the Malafon anti-submarine missile.[3]

  • Length : 128 m (419 ft 11 in)
  • Beam : 12 m (39 ft 4 in)
  • Draught : 5 m (16 ft 5 in)
  • Complement: 272
  • 2 × Model 1953 100 mm (4 in) guns (1×2)
  • 1 × Malafon anti-submarine missile launcher (13 missiles)
  • 6 × 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes (2×3)
  • 1 × quadruple 305 mm (12 in) anti-submarine mortar
  • 2 × 20 mm AA cannon
  • 1 × Alouette II or Alouette III helicopter
La Galissonnière in 1983.

Ships
Pennant Name Named after Builder Commissioned Fate
D633 Duperré[4] Guy-Victor Duperré Arsenal de Lorient 8 October 1957 Trials ship for Cormoran I sonar, 1967–71
Rearmed 1972
Decommissioned 1 June 1992.
As of 2012 at Landévennec awaiting demolition.
D634 La Bourdonnais[5] Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais Arsenal de Brest 3 March 1958 Decommissioned July 1976
Sunk by an Exocet SM39 from the submarine Ouessant, May 1992
D635 Forbin[6] Claude de Forbin Arsenal de Brest 1 February 1958 Converted to helicopter training ship, 1973
Decommissioned 1 June 1981
Sunk as a target off Brest, 17 May 1999
D636 Tartu[7] Jean-François Tartu AC Bretagne 5 February 1958 Decommissioned December 1979
Sunk, 80 miles off Lorient, 9 December 1998
D637 Jauréguiberry[8] Bernard Jauréguiberry FC de la Gironde 15 July 1958 Decommissioned 16 September 1977
Sunk by Exocet MM40 missile off the Île du Levant, 30 May 1986
D638 La Galissonnière[9] Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière Arsenal de Lorient 11 July 1962 Decommissioned 20 April 1990
As of 2012 at Landévennec awaiting demolition.
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See also
  • List of Escorteurs of the French Navy

References
  1. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Duperré : Caractéristiques principales". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  2. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Forbin : Caractéristiques principales". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  3. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "La Galissonnière : Caractéristiques principales". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  4. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Duperré". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  5. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "La Bourdonnais". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  6. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Forbin". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  7. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Tartu". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  8. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "Jauréguiberry". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  9. Roche, Jean-Michel (2012). "La Galissonnière". netmarine.net (in French). Retrieved 26 March 2013.
  • Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995
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