F70ASM Frigate class, Montcalm (D642)

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Hello everyone and welcome to my 200th suggestion.

Today, I’m presenting a ship of the F70 class: the Montcalm (D642).

Laid down in the late 1970s at the Lorient naval shipyard, the Montcalm was launched in 1980 before entering active service with the French Navy in 1982. The fourth unit of the Georges Leygues class, it was designed primarily for anti-submarine warfare.

From the moment it entered service, the Montcalm was integrated into the French naval forces and participated in numerous escort and surveillance missions, particularly in support of nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines. Thanks to its advanced sensors, torpedoes, and embarked helicopter, it possessed extensive anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

Throughout its career, the Montcalm was deployed to numerous theaters of operation. It participates in missions in the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Indian Ocean, and the Persian Gulf. Notably, it was deployed during the Gulf War, contributing to the naval operations of the international coalition tasked with enforcing United Nations resolutions.

In the 1990s and 2000s, with the end of the Cold War and the evolving nature of threats, the Montcalm’s role expanded to include more diverse missions. It participated in crisis management, maritime control, and embargo operations, as well as deployments to sensitive areas where a French naval presence was required. The ship was also involved in counter-terrorism operations against maritime terrorism and illicit trafficking, particularly in the Mediterranean and the Indian Ocean. Its versatility allowed it to perform a variety of missions, ranging from maritime surveillance and vessel escort to participation in multinational operations.

Throughout its career, the Montcalm underwent several modernizations designed to maintain its operational capabilities in the face of technological advancements and new forms of threats.
After a long career marked by numerous deployments, the Montcalm was finally decommissioned in 2017. It leaves behind a rich history, illustrating the French Navy’s commitment to numerous theaters of operation, from the Cold War to contemporary interventions.

Finally, the ship takes its name from Louis-Joseph de Montcalm, Marquis de Montcalm, an 18th-century French general known for his role in the Seven Years’ War in North America.

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Characteristics

  • Length : 139 m

  • Width : 15 m

  • Draft : 5.5 m

  • Mass : 4,500 tons

The vessel is powered by a 26,000 hp Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbine engine, complemented by two 5,000 hp SEMT Pielstick 16PA6 diesel engines. This allows it to reach a speed of 30 knots with the gas engines and 15 knots with the diesel engines. Its range is 8,000 nautical miles at a speed of 15 knots.

The crew consists of 240 sailors.

Equipment

  • Radar :

    • DRBV 15A global surveillance radar
    • DRBV 26A air search radar
    • DRBC 33A fire control radar
    • DRBN 34 navigation radar

  • IRST :

    • DIBV 2A IRST

  • Sonar :

    • DUBV 24C hull sonar
    • DUBV 43B/C depth sonar
    • DSBV 61 towed sonar

  • Decoys and threat detection :

    • ARBB 36 jammer
    • ARBR 16 radar interceptor (RWR)
    • SQL 25 NIXIZ torpedo decoy
    • 2 x DAGAIE decoy lancher
    • 4 x Irvin Aerospace decoy launcher

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Weapons

  • Guns :

    • 1 x 100mm Mle 1968 DCN/GIAT
    • 2 x 20mm F2 GIAT

  • Torpedos :

    • 2 x Torpedo tude (L5 torpedo or Mu90)

  • Missiles :

    • 4 or 8 x MM40 Exocet missiles
    • 1 x Crotale EDIR (8 missiles)
    • 2 x SIMBAD CIWS (2 x 2 Mistral missiles)

In addition to these weapons, the ship can carry a combat helicopter in its hangar and deploy it via the helipad at the stern. The model used is the Linx Mk4 until its decommissioning, then the NH90 until the ship’s decommissioning.

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In game this ship would be the most powerfully armed French ship in terms of anti-submarine and anti-ship combat before the arrival of new generation ships with discreet coatings. This ship would therefore be a very interesting addition to the French tree, bringing a powerfully armed combat ship when adding similar ships in the game

Pictures

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Video

Frégate Montcalm, retour de Libye.
FS MONTCALM D642

Sources