ARA Patagonia (ex-Durance) in Ushuaia |
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| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Durance |
| Operators: | French Navy Argentine Navy Royal Australian Navy Royal Saudi Navy |
| Completed: | 6 |
| Active: | 6 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | Replenishment oiler |
| Displacement: |
7,600 tonnes (empty) |
| Length: | 157.2 m |
| Beam: | 21.2 m |
| Draught: |
8.65 metres (average) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × Pielstick 16 PC2-5 V 400 diesel engines, two shafts |
| Speed: | 19 knots (35 km/h; 22 mph) |
| Range: | 9,000 nautical miles (17,000 km; 10,000 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph) |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
1 LCVP |
| Complement: | 8 officers 62 non-commissioned officers 89 sailors |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
2 DRBN 34 radars |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
1 SLQ-25 Nixie towed jammer |
| Armament: |
1 Bofors 40 mm guns |
| Aviation facilities: | Medium helicopter pad |
The Durance class is a series of multi-product replenishment oilers, originally designed and built for service in the French Navy. Besides the five ships built for the French Navy, a sixth was built for the Royal Australian Navy, while the lead ship of the class currently serves with the Argentine Navy.
Contents |
Five ships of the class were built for the French Navy:
In French service, the ships are dubbed Bâtiment de commandement et ravitailleur (BCR, "command and replenishment ship"): in addition to their role as a fleet tanker, than can harbour an entire general staff and supervise naval operations. Admiral Indian (Ocean), the French Navy's command for the Indian Ocean region ALINDIEN, was permanently stationed aboard such a ship until 2010.
Durance has been sold to the Argentine Navy; the remaining four vessels are still in service as of 2008. Three ships of the class (Marne, Somme, and Var) are fitted out as flagships and can embark an admiral and his staff. In October 2009, Somme repelled an attack by Somali pirates[1]
A single ship of the class was built, in Australia, for the Royal Australian Navy:
The leading ship of the class was sold to the Argentine Navy in 1999; she serves under the name ARA Patagonia (B-1)
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