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Hello everyone and welcome to this new suggestion,
Today I present to you a new French Aviso, the Ardent.
The Ardent is a 2nd-class aviso of the French Navy, the head of the eponymous class built in the 1910s, on the eve of the First World War. Laid down in 1916 and entering active service in 1917, it belongs to a generation of light units designed for coastal surveillance, colonial patrol and rapid liaison missions. With a displacement of around 400 tons, a speed of nearly 17 knots and an armament composed of 145 mm guns and light guns, the Ardent was somewhere between the torpedo boat and the colonial aviso, offering great flexibility of use at low cost. The class, which included several units, adopted a classic architecture but adapted to the new mobility and naval presence requirements of the French Navy at the beginning of the 20th century.
During the First World War, the Ardent was deployed for anti-submarine patrol, coastal convoy escort, and maritime approach surveillance. Her modest size and good maneuverability made her well-suited to operations in coastal areas and sovereignty missions in French colonial possessions. In the interwar period, she continued to serve as a colonial aviso, deployed primarily overseas to ensure the French presence in African and Asian territories. Like most ships of her class, she was gradually relegated to secondary roles as new generations of more modern units entered service. Decommissioned in the 1930s, the Ardent bears witness to the important role played by second-class avisos in the transition from the navy of the late 19th century to that of the modern era.
Characteristics
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Length : 60.2 m
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Width : 7.20 m
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Draft : 2.90 m
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Mass : 400 m
The ship is powered by two Du Temple or Normand steam engines and two VTEs, providing a maximum power of 1,500 hp that alow a max speed of 17 knots. Its endurance is 2,000 nautical miles at a speed of 10 knots. The crew consists of 55 to 60 sailors.
Equipment
Weapons
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Guns :
- 2 x 1 145mm Mle 1910 canons
- 2 x 1 13.2mm Hotchkiss machine gun
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Other :
- 2 x Depth Charge rack
The Ardent would be an interesting addition to the French coastal tree, bringing a new ship with good maritime combat capabilities and sufficient speed to fight ships of its size or larger.
Pictures
