T 53-class destroyer

Bouvet (D624), a T 47-class destroyer whose lines are similar to the T 53 class
Class overview
Builders:	Arsenal de Brest Arsenal de Lorient Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde Ateliers et Chantiers de Bretagne
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 men
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:	As built: 6 × 127 mm (5 in) guns (3 twin turrets) 6 × 57 mm (2.2 in) guns (3 twin turrets) 2 × 20 mm (0.79 in) guns (4×1) 1 × sextuple Bofors ASM rocket launcher 12 × 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes (4×3)

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.

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 (R97).^[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

Armament

• 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

Forbin visiting Bantry Bay, Ireland

Ships

References

• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995

External links

• ex-Duperre at anchorage in Brest, France 2004