F67 Frigate De Grasse

Mathll · October 27, 2025, 1:14am

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Hello everyone, and welcome to this new suggestion.

Today, I’m introducing you to a French anti-submarine warfare vessel from the 1970s that remained in service for over 35 years: the De Grasse (D612).

The De Grasse (D612) is a Type F67 anti-submarine frigate, belonging to the Tourville class, built for the French Navy in the 1970s. Laid down at the Brest shipyards in 1972, launched on November 30, 1974, the ship entered active service in 1977. It is named after Count François Joseph Paul de Grasse, a French admiral famous for his decisive victory against the Royal Navy at the Battle of Chesapeake Bay in 1781, during the American War of Independence. Designed for long-range anti-submarine warfare, the De Grasse was equipped from the outset with high-performance systems, such as the Malafon missile, a towed sonar, a hull sonar, as well as a helicopter platform to operate a Lynx or a Panther.

For over 35 years, the De Grasse carried out strategic missions of protecting carrier battle groups, escorting SSBNs, maritime surveillance, and international cooperation, in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, and the Indian Ocean. She also participated in overseas operations (OPEX), notably in the Balkans, off the coast of Lebanon, and in the Indian Ocean. With her advanced underwater warfare equipment and command capabilities, she was often used as a flagship during combined operations. Modernized over the years, notably with the abandonment of the Malafon and the integration of new ASW systems, she was decommissioned in 2013, marking the end of an emblematic class. The De Grasse symbolizes the transition between the Cold War escort ships and modern multi-mission frigates, like the FREMMs that succeeded her.

Characteristics

Length : 152.75 m
Width : 15.80 m
Draft : 6.60 m
Mass : 6,100 tons

The ship is powered by 2 Rateau steam turbines and 4 boilers, giving the De Grasse a power of 58,000 hp allowing it to reach a maximum speed of 32 knots and a range of 4,500 nautical miles at 18 knots. The ship’s electrical power comes from 2 turbo alternators and 2 diesel alternators.

The crew is made up of 299 sailors.

Equipment

Radar :
- DRBV 51B sea surveillance radar
- DRVB 26A air surveillance radar
- DRBC 32D fire control radar
- 2 x DRBN 34 navigation radar
Sonar :
- DUBV 23 hull sonar
- ETBF DSBV 62 C sonar
- DSBX 1 towed sonar
Decoys and threat detections:
- Syva torpedo alert system
- AARBB 32 jammer
- ARBR 16 radar interceptor (RWR)
- 2 x Syllex decoys launcher

Weapons

Guns :
- 2 x 100mm Mle 1968 canon
- 2 x 20mm autocanon
- 4 x 12.7mm machine gun
Torpedo :
- 2 x torpedo launcher (up to 10 L5 torpedo in hold)
- 1 x Malafon launcher (removed during late 1980s)
Missiles :
- 6 x MM38 Exocet missile launcher
- 1 x Crotale EDIR missile launcher (8 missiles + 18 in hold)

The Malafon launcher allows the launch of a “glider” directed by the ship and initially propelled by a powder charge (maximum speed of 800 km/h allowing a maximum range of 13 kilometers). This glider carries a 553 mm L4 torpedo which it releases at the desired moment in order to hit a target more precisely. The firing coordinates and the release distance are provided by the launcher ship’s sonar.

In addition to these weapons, the helicopter carries two Linx Mk4 anti-submarine helicopters from the 34F flotilla equipped with active dipping sonar and Mk46 torpedoes (12 torpedoes stored on the ship).

In game this ship would be very interesting to add (not for the moment of course, but when ships of the same caliber will be there) because it has strike capabilities in all areas of the navy. Whether it be anti-ship strike, anti-air strike or even anti-submarine strike. This ship would therefore provide a very complete ship for the French navy.

Pictures

Video

LA LUTTE ANTI SOUS-MARINE
Tir canon 100 mm sur le DESTROYER DE GRASSE.MOV
Francuzi w Gdyni - “De Grasse”.

Sources