Georges Leygues-class Destroyer

Destroyers Dupleix (D641) and Preble (DDG-88) in the Arabian Sea on February 21^st, 2006.

The Georges Leygues-class (Type F70) is a class of anti-submarine destroyers of the French Navy. They are multi-role ships due to their Exocet and Crotale missile armament, making them especially suitable for the defence of strategic positions, show of force operations, or as high seas escorts.

The superstructures were built to optimise resistance to the blast from nuclear explosions.

The F70 is internationally labelled an "anti-submarine destroyer" (hence the "D" in the hull numbers), though the French do not use the term and refer to the ships as "frigates".

The last three ships of the class had their bridges raised one deck to overcome problems experienced by the first four in bad weather, as well as being equipped with DSBV 61 passive linear towed array sonar and several other upgraded systems.

Specifications

• Type: Destroyer
• Service Period: 1979-Present
• Characteristics:
  • Length: 456 feet (138.99 meters)
  • Beam: 45 feet 11 inches (14 meters)
  • Draft: 18 feet 8 inches (5.69 meters)
  • Displacement: 3,494 tons (Standard); 4,429 tons (Full Load)
• Crew: 235
• Propulsion: CODOG,
  • 2 x Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 26,000 hp (19,388 kW) each
  • 2 x SEMT Pielstick 16PA6-V280 diesel engines, 5,200 hp (3,878 kW) each
• Range:
  • 1,000 nautical miles (1,852 kilometers) at 30 knots (55.56 km/h)
  • 10,000 nautical miles (18,520 kilometers) at 15 knots (27.78 km/h)
• Speed: 30 knots (55.56 km/h)
• Sensor Suite:
  • 1 Air/surface sentry radar DRBV51C
  • 1 Air sentry radar DRBV 26
  • 1 Fire control radar DRBC 32E
  • 2 Navigation radar KH 1007
  • 1 Hull sonar DUBV 23
  • 1 Towed sonar DUBV 43C
  • SENIT 4
  • SEAO/OPSMER
• Countermeasures:
  • 2 x ARBR 16 Radar interceptors
  • 2 x Syllex chaff launchers
• Armament:
  • 1 xCreusot-Loire Compact 100mm/55-caliber Modele 68 dual purpose naval gun
  • 1 x Crotale EDIR system - 8 missiles on launcher + 18 stored
  • 2 x Simbad systems - 2 × 2 Mistral missiles
  • 4 x MM38/MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles
  • 10 x L5 Mod4 torpedoes
  • 2 x L5 torpedo launchers
  • 2 x 20 mm guns
  • 4 x 12.7 mm machine guns
• Aircraft Carried: 2 x Westland WG-13 Lynx Mk.4 maritime helicopters

Unit Run

France

• MN Georges Leygues (D640)
• MN Dupleix (D641)
• MN Montcalm (D642)
• MN Jeanne de Vienne (D643)
• MN Primauguet (D644)
• MN La Motte Piquet (D645)
• MN Latouche-Tréville (D646)

Portugal

• NRP João de Santarém (D338)
• NRP Diogo Cão (D339)