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Hello and welcome to this new suggestion.
Today, we’re looking at a new class of destroyer in the French Navy, the T53 destroyers, and in particular the Forbin (D635).
The Forbin (D635) is a T53 type escort ship, designed in the 1950s as part of the vast reconstruction program of the French Navy after the Second World War. Laid down in Brest in 1954, launched in 1955, it was admitted to active service in 1958. The ship is named after Claude Forbin, squadron leader of the French Navy at the end of the 17th century alongside Dugay Trouin, Jean Bart and many others. Initially intended for anti-aircraft combat, the Forbin was placed in reserve in 1972 and then recommissioned to accompany on the Jeanne d’Arc mission (initial mission of the French Navy officer cadets).
During its operational career, the Forbin notably participated in three missions of the “Alpha Force” in the Pacific for the realization of the nuclear testing campaigns of the French army. Once modified to participate in the Jeanne d’Arc missions, the Forbin participated 8 times in these campaigns, sailing on almost all the seas and oceans and covering more than 600,000 nautical miles during its career before being finally decommissioned in 1981. The ship was then transformed into a shooting target and was sunk off Brest in 1999.
Characteristics
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Length : 128.60 m
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Width : 12.71 m
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Draft : 5 m
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Mass : 3750 tons
The ship is powered by a set of four boilers and three steam turbines connected to two fixed four-blade propellers, producing a power output of 63,000 hp, capable of reaching 34 knots under normal conditions (the maximum speed reached during trials was 38 knots). The ship has a range of 5,000 nautical miles at an average speed of 18 knots. Two turbo-generators and two alternators generate the electrical power required by the ship.
The crew consists of approximately 350 sailors.
Equipment
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Radar :
- DRBV-22A air surveillance radar
- DRBV-31 sea surveillance and navigation radar
- DRBI-10B altimetry radar
- 2 x DRBC-30 fire control radar (front one for the 127mm guns and back one for 57mm guns)
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Sonar :
- DUBV-1B sonar
- DUBA-1B sonar
- DUBV-24 sonar (after 1970)
Weapons
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Before 1973 :
- 3 x 2 127mm mle 1948 canons
- 3 x 2 57mm mle 1951 canons
- 2 x 1 20mm canons
- 1 x 375mm Mod 1972 x 6 anti-submarine rocket launcher
- 2 x 3 550mm torpedo tube
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After 1973 :
- 2 x 2 127mm mle 1948 canons
- 2 x 2 57mm mle 1951 canons
- 2 x 1 20mm canons
- 1 x 375mm Mod 1972 x 6 anti-submarine rocket launcher
- 2 x 3 550mm torpedo tube
The removal of the 127mm rear turret in 1973 allowed the installation of a landing platform for landing helicopters coming from the Jeanne d’Arc during missions of the same name. This platform only allowed landing and not stacking of aircraft due to its positioning and the absence of a hangar.
The Forbin’s armament allows it to engage all types of targets, ranging from aerial targets to submarines and lightly armored surface vessels.
Sources
- ImagesDéfense - Vue aérienne de l’escorteur d’escadre Forbin (D635) appartenant à la force navale Alfa au mouillage dans le lagon de l’atoll de Moruroa.
- ImagesDéfense - Dernier retour de campagne de l’escorteur d’escadre Forbin.
- Escorteur d’escadre Forbin
- Caractéristiques
- Duperré class destroyers (1956)