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fighting ships of the world

FRENCH NAVY (FRANCE)

ESCORTS

COMMANDANT RIVIÈRE frigates (1962 - 1965)

BALNY frigate (1970)

Commandant Rivière 1963

Commandant Rivière 1980

Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Victor Schoelcher F725   Arsenal de Lorient 10.1957 11.10.1958 15.10.1962 to Uruguay 12.1988 (General Artiga)
Commandant Bory F726   Arsenal de Lorient 5.1958 11.10.1958 5.3.1964 stricken 12.1996
Amiral Charner F727   Arsenal de Lorient 11.1958 12.3.1960 14.12.1962 to Uruguay 1.1991 (Montevideo)
Doudart de Lagrée F728   Arsenal de Lorient 3.1960 15.4.1961 1.5.1963 stricken 7.1992
Balny F729   Arsenal de Lorient 3.1960 17.3.1962 1.2.1970 stricken 7.1994
Commandant Rivière F733   Arsenal de Lorient 4.1957 11.10.1958 4.12.1962 stricken 7.1992
Commandant Bourdais F740   Arsenal de Lorient 4.1959 15.4.1961 10.3.1963 stricken 4.1990, to Uruguay (Uruguay)
Protet F748   Arsenal de Lorient 9.1961 7.12.1962 1.5.1964 stricken 6.1992
Enseigne de vaisseau Henry F749   Arsenal de Lorient 9.1962 14.12.1963 1.1.1965 stricken 8.1996
  

Displacement standard, t

F725-728, 733, 740, 748, 749: 1750

F729: 1650

Displacement full, t

F725-728, 733, 740, 748, 749: 2230

F729: 1950

Length, m

98.0 pp 103.0 oa

Breadth, m

11.5

Draught, m

4.30

No of shafts

F725-728, 733, 740, 748, 749: 2

F729: 1

Machinery

F725, 727, 728, 733, 740, 748, 749: 4 SEMT-Pielstick diesels

F726: Sigma free-piston gas generators, 2 gas turbines

F729: CODAG: 1 Turbomeca M38 gas turbine + 2 AGO V16 diesels

Power, h. p.

F725-728, 733, 740, 748, 749: 16000

F729: 11500+7200=18700

Max speed, kts

F725, 727, 728, 733, 740, 748, 749: 25

F729: 26

Fuel, t

F725, 727, 728, 733, 740, 748, 749: diesel oil

Endurance, nm(kts)

F725-728, 733, 740, 748, 749: 7500(16)

F729: 8000(12)

Armament

3 x 1 - 100/55 Mod 1953, 2 x 1 - 30/70 Hispano-Suiza KAD, 2 x 3 - 550 TT, 1 x 4 - 305 ASWRL

Military load 2 LCP, 80 marines

Electronic equipment

DRBV-22A, DRBC-32A, DRBV-50 radars, DUBA-3, SQS-17 sonars

Complement

166

Project history: The Commandant Rivière was a dual-purpose design intended to perform the traditional role of a colonial aviso in peacetime and the NATO role of convoy escort in wartime. At first christened escorteurs d'union française these ships were redesignated avisos escorteurs in 1959. The first of the class was ordered in 1955, followed by six units in 1956 and the final pair in 1957.

    Three 100mm guns were fitted, with the provision that the third could be replaced by a helicopter deck. The DRBC-32A FC director was located above the after two mountings. Two single 30mm AA of a new pattern were fitted amidships. The 305mm ASW mortar in 'B' position reloaded from a small glacis forward of the mountings, and could fire a special shore bombardment round. Two triple banks of ASW torpedo tubes were fitted, but in contrast to the E 50/52 series there was no provision for reloading. There was accommodation either for a flag officer and staff, or for an eighty-man commando team, and two 9m LCPs each with a capacity of twenty-five men were carried on davits.

    Because of the requirement for long range and fuel economy, a two-shaft diesel installation was adopted. Commandant Bory was initially fitted with Sigma free-piston generators driving gas turbines, but these were removed in 1974-75 and replaced by the standard diesel installation. Balny trialled an even more radical CODAG propulsion plant in which a Turbomeca M38 gas turbine (a modified Atar-8 aero-engine downrated from 15000hp to 11500hp) was combined with two 3600bhp AGO VI6 diesels for cruising. The gas turbine and the diesels could be clutched together to drive the single shaft, which was fitted with a 3.6m diameter controllable-pitch propeller. The compactness of the installation enabled her to carry 100t more fuel than her sisters.

Modernizations: 1973, Amiral Charner, Commandant Bourdais, Enseigne de vasseau Henry: + helicopter platform

1975, Amiral Charner, Commandant Bourdais, Enseigne de vasseau Henry: - helicopter platform

1975, Commandant Bory: machinery was replaced by standard diesels as on others ships of the class

1975-1979, Victor Schoelcher, Protet, Enseigne de vasseau Henry: - 1 x 1 - 100/55 ('X'), DRBV-50, DRBC-32A radars; + 4 x 1 MM38 Exocet SSM (4 MM38), DRBN-32, DRBC-32C radars

1975-1979, Commandant Bory, Amiral Charner, Doudart de Lagrée, Commandant Rivière, Commandant Bourdais: - 1 x 1 - 100/55 ('X'), 2 x 1 - 30/70, DRBV-50, DRBC-32A radars; + 4 x 1 MM38 Exocet SSM (4 MM38), 2 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, DRBN-32, DRBC-32C radars

1985, Commandant Rivière: two 20x1m caissons were added to the sides aft at upper deck level; - 2 x 1 - 100/55, DRBC-32C radar, SQS-17 sonar; + 1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, DUBV-24, DUBV-43 VDS sonars

Naval service: No significant events.

Commandant Rivière 1978

© Ivan Gogin, 2015