Surcouf (F711)

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For other ships of the same name, see French ship Surcouf.
Stealth frigate Surcouf
Career (France) French Navy Ensign
Namesake: Robert Surcouf
Laid down: 6 July 1992
Launched: 3 July 1993
Commissioned: 7 February 1997
Honours and
awards:		 Flies the FFL jack in honour of the submarine Surcouf
Fate: In active service
General characteristics
Class and type: La Fayette class
Displacement: 3200 tonnes, 3600 tonnes fully loaded
Length: 125 m
Beam: 15.4 m
Draught: 4,8 m
Propulsion: 4 diesel SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2, 21000 hp (15 400 kW)
Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h)
Range: 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h), 9000 at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement:

12 officers
68 non-commissioned officers

61 men
Sensors and
processing systems:

1 x Air/Surface DRBV 15C sentry radar
1 x firing control radar for the 100 mm gun
1 x DRBN34 navigation radar

1 x DRBN34 landing radar
Electronic warfare
and decoys:

1 x Saïgon ARBG 1 radio interceptor
1 x ARBR 21 radar interceptor
2 x Dagaie Mk2 chaff launcher
1 x AN/SLQ-25 Nixie tugged noise maker
1 x Prairie-Masker noise reduction system
1 x Syracuse II

1 x Inmarsat
Armament:

1 x 100 mm TR automatic gun
2 x 20 mm modèle F2 guns
1 x Crotale CN2 launcher (8 missiles on the launcher, 18 missiles in magazine)
16 Aster 15 missiles in vertical launchers

8 x Exocet MM40 block II missiles
Armour: munition magazine and control centre
Aircraft carried: 1 x 10-tonne helicopter (Panther or NH90)

The Surcouf (F711) is a La Fayette-class frigate of the French Navy. She was laid down at Lorient Naval Dockyard on July 6, 1992, launched July 3, 1993, and commissioned May 1996.

Since its commission, Surcouf has taken part in numerous missions, notably in Operation Antilope (Gabon and Congo), Operation Trident (Kosovo) and Mission Khor Anga in the Djibouti zone.

On 14 May 2001, Surcouf had to assist Marc Guillemot skipper of the Biscuits La Trinitaine-Team Ethypharm, who had to abandon his ship after her starboard floater broke. The Panther helicopter of Surcouf successfully airlifted the 5-men crew of the catamaran.

On 14 October 2004, the Surcouf assisted the Sara 2, a Panamanian cargo ship which ran aground near Yemen. The 16-man crew was successfully airlifted by the Panther helicopter, and later transferred from the frigate to Yemanite coast guards.

[edit] Photographs

Inside of the forward deck of the Surcouf

The Surcouf in Toulon; the helicopter is clearly visible on the aft

The helicopter pad; the Crotale missile launcher is well visible on the top of the helicopter hangar.

Stealth frigate Surcouf and Courbet

Surcouf (bottom left) with ships from five countries during Operation Enduring Freedom
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