French frigate Surcouf (F711)

Career (France)
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 frigate
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:

(Provision for future 16 × Aster 15 missiles in VLS)

Anti-ship;

  • 8 × Exocet MM40 block II anti-ship missiles

Guns;

CIWS;

  • 1 × Crotale CN2 launcher (8 missiles on the launcher with 16 reload)
Armour: On sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre)
Aircraft carried:

The Surcouf (F711) is a La Fayette-class frigate of the French Navy. She was laid down at Lorient Naval Dockyard on 6 July 1992, launched 3 July 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 rendered to assistance to Marc Guillemot skipper of the Biscuits La Trinitaine-Team Ethypharm, who had to abandon his ship after her starboard hull was seriously damaged. The Panther helicopter of Surcouf successfully airlifted the catamarans crew of five to safety.

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 Yemeni coast guards.

Sources and references