| French Frigate La Fayette |
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| French Frigate La Fayette |
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| Country:
France |
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Type: Light Frigate |
| Service:
1996 - 2008 |
| Ships in class: 5 |
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The La Fayette class units are light multi-mission frigates built by DCN and operated by France (Marine Nationale). These frigates were referred to as stealth frigates. Their reduced radar cross section is achieved by a very clean superstructure compared to conventional designs, angled sides and radar absorbent material, a composite material of wood and glass fiber as hard as steel, light, and resistant to fire. Most modern fighting ships built around the world since the introduction of the La Fayette have followed the same principles of stealth. The ships are designed to accommodate a 10 tonne helicopter in the Panther or NH90 range (though they are also capable of operating the Super Frelon and similar heavy helicopters). France ordered five ships of the La Fayette class in 1988, the last of which entered service in 2002. Derivatives of the La Fayette class frigate are in service in Saudi Arabia, Singapore and Republic of China (Taiwan).
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| Displacement: |
3,200 tonnes, 3,600 tonnes fully loaded |
| Length: |
125 m (410.1 ft) |
| Beam: |
15.4 m |
| Draught: |
4.1 m (13.45 ft) |
| Propulsion: |
4 diesel SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2, 21000 hp (15 400 kW) |
| Speed: |
25 knots (46 km/h) |
| Range: |
4,000 nautical miles (7,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h), 9000 at 12 knots (22 km/h) |
| Endurance: |
50 days of food |
| Boats and landing craft carried: |
2 ETN boats |
| Capacity: |
350 tonnes of fuel, 80 m³ of kerosene, 60 tonnes of drinkable water |
| Complement: |
12 officers
68 petty 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
1 x Saigon 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: |
1 x 100 mm TR automatic gun
2 x 20 mm modele F2 guns
1 x Crotale CN2 launcher (8 missiles on the launcher, 18 missiles in magazine)
Provision for 16 Aster 15 missiles in vertical launchers
8 x Exocet MM40 block II missiles |
| Armour: |
On sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre) |
| Aircraft carried: |
1 x 10 tonne helicopter (Panther or NH90) |
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