- Yes
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Hello everyone and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today I’m presenting the second ship of the E52B class, the Provençal (F777).
The E52B class is part of a large series of fast escort vessels built by France just after World War II to rebuild its navy, which had been decimated by Allied bombing and scuttling. Derived from the E52 class, the E52B class is characterized by a good top speed, armament enabling it to engage all types of targets, and the integration of technologies proven during World War II, such as navigation, surveillance, and fire control radars. Sonar was also added to these ships to allow them to detect and combat submarines, which represented the new major threat to warships.
The second ship of the E52B class, the Provençal is notable for being the first of its class to enter service, the first ship remaining in shipyard for a few more months. It was thus the first E52B-class ship to officially enter service.
Laid down in 1955 and commissioned in 1959, the Provençal, like many fast escort vessels, was assigned to the Anti-Submarine Action Group (GAASM) in Toulon, the port to which it would be stationed for almost its entire operational service. It was tasked with patrol missions along the North African coast during the Algerian War to monitor the movements of merchant ships suspected of transporting weapons to Algeria. It was then deployed with the carrier strike group of the aircraft carrier Foch to Asia. Stationed at Diego Suarez for a time, the Provençal toured African ports before returning to France via Greece. Decommissioned in the early 1980s, it was sunk, like many other ships of the era, during a gunnery exercise.
Like all Fast Escorts, the Provencal is named after a region or city, in this case, Provence, a region in southern France.
Characteristics
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Length : 99.8 m
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Width : 10.30 m
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Drafat : 4.30 m
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Mass : 1702 tons
The ship is powered by two asymmetrical Indret stamped boilers, which gives it a total power of 20,000 hp allowing it to reach 27 knots in maximum speed. 4 diesel alternators complement the engine for electrical production
The crew was originally composed of 198 sailors but was later revised to 170.
Equipment
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Radar :
- DRBV 22A surveillance radar
- DRBN 32 navigation radar
- DRBC 31 fire control radar
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Sonar :
- DUBA 1 sonar
- DUBV 1 sonar
- DUBV 24 sonar (in the 70s)
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Decoy and threat detection :
- ARBR 10 sonar detector
Weapons
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Guns :
- 2 x 2 57mm Mle 1951
- 2 x 20mm Oerlikon
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Torpedo :
- 4 x 3 Torpedo lauch tube for K2 or L3 torpedo
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Other :
- 1 x 305mm ASM mortar
In the game, this second ship of the E52B class would be an interesting addition to the French tech tree, providing a vessel capable of attacking and defending against all types of targets, whether aerial or maritime.
Pictures
Sources
- https://www.avions-bateaux.com/uploads/attachment/produit//produit_3478_52d6ce09874931c7343695a3baa7876a.pdf
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