Frigate Commandant Rivière, a versatile Cold War ship

Arghail · August 20, 2023, 5:02pm

[Would you like to see this in-game?]

Yes
No

0 voters

Aviso-escorteur

Classe Commandant Rivière

About this class and its interest in War Thunder

The Rivière class is basically the French equivalent to the Köln F220 class already in the game.These Cold War ships are heavy sloops armed with dual purpose AA canons (later AS missiles) and Anti-Submarine weapons. Their versatility as well as their size makes them strong contender as late tier 2 warships with a firepower capable of protecting themselves against most of the targets at this br. including early destroyers.

History :

The 1950’s in France saw the modernisation of their entire fleet, and the renewal of the French naval industry. The idea was to slowly bring back French made equipment into the Marine Nationale, which was mostly relying on American or British made equipment since the end of the war. The Commandant Rivière ships were among the first homemade designs born from that initiative. They were called “Aviso-escorteur”, or “Escort Sloops”. Their construction started in 1954, and they were all commissioned between 1962 and 1970.

In total, 9 of them were launched between 1958 and 1962 : Victor Schoelcher, Commandant Bory, Amiral Charner, Doudart de Lagrée, Balny, Commandant Rivière, Commandant Bourdais, Protet, and Enseigne de Vaisseau Henry. The idea was to create a warship capable of maintaining peace and escorting convoys over the entire French oversea territories, and capable of facing any kind of threats in times of war such as Submarines, aircrafts, and later ships thanks to the installation of Exocet missiles. Their big size for an escort ship meant they were able to travel long distances and follow the WW2 ships that were still in activity in the French fleet at the time. They were used in a variety of missions between 1962 and 2001*,* including Pacific and Atlantic patrol, Soviet submarine searches, test bench and convoy escort. Most of them were demolished or sunk as targets during the 1990’s and early 2000’s, the last two being the Amiral Charner and Commandant Bourdais, sold to Uruguay, which used them until 2005.

Specifications :

DIMENSIONS

Total length : 102.70m

Total width : 11.80m

draught : 4.35m

weight : 1650t (2150t max)

ENGINE :

type : 4 x diesel SEMT-Pierstick PC-12 (16 000 HP)

propellers : 2

max speed : 26 knots

autonomy : 7500 miles at 16.5 knts

ARMAMENT :

Original :

3 x 100mm Dual purpose canons modèle 53 (3 x 1)

2 x 40mm CAS mle 1951 (2 x 1) (French variant of the 40L60 BOFOR)

6 x 550mm Torpedo tubes (2 x 3)

1 x 305mm ASM mortar

CREW : 169 ( 9 officers, 160 sailors)

Commandant Rivière overhaul (1983) :

2 x 100mm Dual purpose canons modèle 53 (2 x 1)

2 x 40mm CAS mle 1951 (2 x 1)

6 x 550mm Torpedo tubes (2 x 3)

1 x 305mm ASM mortar

4 x Exocet missile launchers (2 x 2)

CREW : 9 officers, 161 sailors

Regarding the 100mm canon mle 1953 :

Spoiler

Caracteristics
Diameter : 100 mm
Caliber : 55
Weight : 22 tons
Ammo weight 23,6 kg
Max range : 17000 m w/ 40° elevation
Max range practical (AA) : 6000 m
Max range practical (AS) : 12000 m
Turret traverse : 40° /s
Gun elevation : 29° /s
Shell speed : 870 m/s
Rate of fire : 78 rpm