Le Normand class Frigate Escorteur Rapide French Navy Marine

French Navy - Marine Nationale
Le Normand class Frigate
Type E52 Escorteur Rapide

le normand class type e52 frigate escorteur rapide french navy marine nationale 02

04/22

Units:

Type E52A
F 765 FS Le Normand (1956-80)
F 766 FS Le Picard (1956-81)
F 767 FS Le Gascon (1955-80)
F 768 FS Le Lorrain (1957-78)
F 769 FS Le Bourguignon (1957-76)
F 770 FS Le Champenois (1957-75)
F 771 FS Le Savoyard (1957-82)
F 772 FS Le Breton (1957-78)
F 773 FS Le Basque (1957-80)
F 774 FS L’Agenais (1958-85)
F 775 FS Le Bearnais (1958-80)

Type E52B
F 776 FS L’Alsacien (1956-82)
F 777 FS Le Provencal (1959-81)
F 778 FS Le Vendeen (1960-82)

Specifications:

Displacement: 1295 tons (standard) / 1795 tons (full load)
Length: 99.3 m (326 feet)
Beam: 10.3 m (34 ft)
Draft: 4.1 m (13 ft)
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h)
Range: 4500 nmi (8300 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement: 198 (originally) / 170 (later)

Propulsion:
2 boilers / 2 shaft geared turbines
14,914 kW (20,000 bhp)
2 shafts / 2 propellers

Armament:
3 x Model 1951 57mm/L60 twin guns (2 x on E52B)
2 x Oerlikon Mk.4 20mm AA gun

1 x Bofors 375 mm 6-tube ASW rocket launcher (E52A)
1 x 4-tube 305mm ASW mortar (E52B)

4 x 550mm triple torpedo tubes
2 x depth-charge launcher
1 x depth-charge rack

Systems:
DRBV-20, later DRBV-22 air/surface search radar
DRBC-31 fire control radar
ARBA + ARBR-10 radar warning receiver
DUBV-1 sonar
DUBA-1 sonar

Aviation:
none

The Le Normand class (or E52 Type) was a class of 14 fast frigates (Escorteurs Rapide) built for the French Navy in the late 1950s. They were an immediate follow-on from the earlier Le Corse-class (or E50 Type) frigates, and like them, were long-range convoy escorts capable of high speed. The first seven ships, paid for by the United States under the Mutual Defense Assistance Act were ordered in 1952. The remaining seven ships were paid for by France and ordered between 1953 and 1955.

The E52 type shared a flush-decked layout with the E50 class, and had a similar armament of three twin 57mm turrets (one forward and two aft) and an anti-submarine armament consisting of a battery of heavyweight guided torpedoes and a 375mm Bofors six-barrel rocket launcher. The major difference was the layout of the armament, with the torpedo tubes moving from forwards to amidships, and the Bofors launcher moving from amidships to forward of the bow gun, thus reducing topweight and improving the arc of fire for the Bofors launcher.

The last three ships were completed as a modified version, the Type E52B. This replaced the amidships turret and the Bofors rocket launcher with a new 305mm anti-submarine mortar mounted amidships. Two more of this type were ordered in 1957, but were cancelled owing to financial problems.

source: wikipedia

Ship data:

F 765 FS Le Normand

Namesake:
The Norman (inhabitant of the Normandy)

Builder: Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), La Seyne-sur-Mer (Toulon), France
Laid down: July 1953
Launched: February 13, 1954
Commissioned: November 13, 1956
Decommissioned: 1980
Fate: sunk as a target in the Mediterranen (US Navy)

F 766 FS Le Picard

Namesake:
The Picardian (inhabitant of the Picardy)

Buider: Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire (ACL), Nantes, France
Laid down: November 1953
Launched: May 31, 1954
Commissioned: September 20, 1956
Decommissioned: 1979
Fate: sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean (US Navy)

F 767 FS Le Gascon

Namesake:
The Gascognian (inhabitant of the Gascogny)

Builder: Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire (ACL), Nantes, France
Laid down: February 1954
Launched: October 23, 1954
Commissioned: March 29, 1957
Decommissioned: 1977
Fate: returned to US Navy

F 768 FS Le Lorrain

Namesake:
The Lorrainian (inhabitant of the Lorraine)

Builder: Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), La Seyne-sur-Mer (Toulon), France
Laid down: February 1954
Launched: June 19, 1954
Commissioned: January 1, 1957
Decommissioned: 1978
Fate: returned to US Navy / scrapped in Spain

F 769 FS Le Bourguignon

Namesake:
The Burgundian (inhabitant of the Burgundy)

Builder: Chantiers de Penhoët, Saint-Nazaire, France
Laid down: January 1954
Launched: January 28, 1956
Commissioned: July 11, 1967
Decommissioned: 1976
Fate: ?

F 770 FS Le Champenois

Namesake:
The Champagnian (inhabitant of the Champagne)

Builder: Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire (ACL), Nantes, France
Laid down: May 1954
Launched: March 12, 1955
Commissioned: June 1, 1957
Decommissioned: 1975
Fate: sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean (US Navy)

F 771 FS Le Savoyard

Namesake:
The Savoian (inhabitant of the Savoie)

Builder: Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), La Seyne-sur-Mer (Toulon), France
Laid down: November 1953
Launched: May 7, 1955
Commissioned: June 14, 1957
Decommissioned: 1982
Fate: sunk as a target in the Mediterranean Sea (US Navy)

F 772 FS Le Breton

Namesake:
The Bretonnian (inhabitant of the Brittany)

Builder: Arsenal de Lorient, Brittany, France
Laid down: June 1954
Launched: April 23, 1955
Commissioned: August 20, 1957
Decommissioned: 1978
Fate: breakwater at Brest / sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean in 1985

F 773 FS Le Basque

Namesake:
The Basque (inhabitant of the Basque Country)

Builder: Arsenal de Lorient, Brittany, France
Laid down: December 1954
Launched: February 25, 1956
Commissioned: October 18, 1957
Decommissioned: 1980
Fate: sunk as a target in 1984

F 774 FS L'Agenais

Namesake:
The Agenaisian (inhabitant of the Agenais region)

Builder: Arsenal de Lorient, Brittany, France
Laid down: August 1955
Launched: June 23, 1956
Commissioned: May 14, 1958
Decommissioned: 1985
Fate: sunk as a target in the Mediterranean Sea in 1988

F 775 FS Le Béarnais

Namesake:
The Bearnian (inhabitant of the Béarn province)

Builder: Arsenal de Lorient, Brittany, France
Laid down: December 1955
Launched: January 26, 1957
Commissioned: October 18, 1958
Decommissioned: 1980
Fate: sunk as a target in the Mediterranean Sea in 1985

F 776 FS L'Alsacien

Namesake:
The Alsacian (inhabitant of the Alsace)

Builder: Arsenal de Lorient, Brittany, France
Laid down: July 1956
Launched: January 26, 1957
Commissioned: August 27, 1960
Decommissioned: 1982
Fate: sunk as a target in the Mediterranean Sea in 1986

F 777 FS Le Provencal

Namesake:
The Provencian (inhabitant of the Provence)

Builder: Arsenal de Lorient, Brittany, France
Laid down: February 1957
Launched: October 5, 1957
Commissioned: November 6, 1960
Decommissioned: 1981
Fate: sunk as a target in the Mediterranean Sea in 1992

F 778 FS Le Vendéen

Namesake:
The Vendeeian (inhabitant of the Vendée department)

Builder: Forges et Chantiers de la Méditerranée (FCM), La Seyne-sur-Mer (Toulon), France
Laid down: March 1957
Launched: July 27, 1957
Commissioned: October 1, 1960
Decommissioned: 1982
Fate: breakwater at Brest / later sunk as a target

images

le normand class type e52 frigate escorteur rapide french navy marine nationale f-765 02

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