La Fayette class

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Stealth frigate surcouf

French Navy Ensign Saudi Arabia Singapore Republic of China

Technical data (La Fayette)
Displacement : 3,200 t
3,600 t fully loaded
Length: 124.2 m
Width: 15.4 m
Draft: 4.1 m
Drive: 4 × diesel SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2, 15,400 kW (21,000 PS)
Speed: 25 kn
Range: 7,000 nm at 15 kn
9,000 nm at 12 kn
Crew: 141
Armament:
  • 1 × 100 mm naval gun
  • 2 × 20 mm guns
  • 1 × Crotale CN2 launcher (26 guided missiles)
  • 8 × Block II missiles Exocet MM40n
Radars:
  • 1 × DRBV 15C, maritime and air surveillance radar
  • 1 × fire control radar for the 100 mm cannon
  • 1 × DRBN34 navigation radar
  • 1 × DRBN34 landing radar
Electronic warfare
SatCom
helicopter 1 × 10 t helicopter ( Panther or NH90 )

The La Fayette class ships are a class of light, multipurpose frigates built by the French state naval shipyard , DCN , and used by the navies of France, Saudi Arabia , the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Singapore .

This class was one of the first operational stealth ships in the world.

The French variant

Conception

At the end of the 1980s, the French Navy was faced with the situation that local conflicts far away from France were increasingly coming into focus again. The Falklands War between Great Britain and Argentina had shown that it is still important to protect the few remaining, but widely scattered overseas territories with effective units. The expansion of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to 200 nm also falls at the same time . In line with France's EEZ, which had grown many times over, controls also had to be expanded. As a third point - still of minor importance in the planning phase - the Navy also focused on asymmetrical threats for the first time. Piracy flared up again in the 1980s on the busy Malacca Straits . When the Eastern Bloc and the Soviet Union  - the threat scenario that had dominated all European countries for decades - collapsed completely before construction began , the French Navy saw its strategy as confirmed.

The French navy was extremely poorly equipped for these new tasks. On the one hand, France had an extensive fleet of large frigates and destroyers, which on the one hand were equipped for a massive war against the Soviet Union and on the other hand are too expensive to operate to carry out patrol tasks where their high-tech weapon systems are not needed. On the other hand, the French Navy had 17 corvettes of the D'Estienne-D'Orves class , which are much smaller and cheaper to operate, but their equipment was also geared primarily to a threat from the Soviet Union. In addition, the end of use of this class of corvettes was foreseeable as early as the late 1980s.

This need for a new type of ship initially led to the development and procurement of six units of the Floréal class . These ships barely displacing 3000 tons were located in the lowest performance spectrum. Armed with only one 100 mm gun and two Exocet anti -ship missiles and built entirely to civilian standards, they are only suitable for patrol activities in the EEZ and overseas territories.

However, there was still a gap between the high-tech frigates and destroyers on the one hand and the Floréal class on the other. For low-intensity military conflicts or in the fight against well-armed irregular units, it would still be an exaggeration to use the expensive and highly specialized frigates right away, but on the other hand, the Floréal-class corvettes cannot cope with such threats. As the Hezbollah bombardment of an Israeli warship with a Chinese anti-ship missile in 2006 proved, some terrorist organizations now have high-tech weapons systems that the Floréal-class patrol ships cannot cope with.

The La Fayette class was developed out of this need. With a displacement of over 3000 tons, they are larger than the Floréal and D'Estienne-D'Orves classes and can be used worldwide. Their stealth design protects them from early detection and their armament is designed in such a way that they can withstand much more complex scenarios.

history

France ordered a lot of three ships in 1988. In 1990 the final design could be presented and in the same year the keel laying began at DCN. In 1992, the launch of the type ship La Fayette , which was finally put into service in 1996. In 1992 an order was also placed for a further batch of three ships, of which the third ship was canceled for cost reasons and general disarmament in all European countries as a result of the end of the Cold War . Thus, the fifth and final unit was put into service with the French Navy in December 2001.

The ships are all named after high-ranking French soldiers who have distinguished themselves through their actions: Marie-Joseph Motier, Marquis de La Fayette , Robert Surcouf , Admiral Amédée-Anatole Courbet and Vice Admiral Émile Guépratte .

Ensign of France.svg Marine National - La Fayette Class
Hull number Surname Keel laying Launch Commissioning
F 710 La Fayette December 15, 1990 June 13, 1992 March 22, 1996
F 711 Surcouf July 6, 1992 3rd July 1993 February 7, 1997
F 712 Courbet September 15, 1993 March 12, 1994 April 1, 1997
F 713 Aconite 5th August 1996 June 8, 1997 June 3, 1999
F 714 Guépratte October 1, 1998 March 3, 1999 October 27, 2001

Since their commissioning, the La Fayette-class frigates have participated in various exercises and missions. In 1995, one of the frigates moved to Abu Dhabi to attend the IDEX international arms fair . In 2004 a mission took place within the scope of ONUCI and in 2005 a ship of the La Fayette class took part in the NATO mission Enduring Freedom . The most recent deployment took place as part of UNIFIL off the coast of Lebanon .

The frigates of the La Fayette class will be replaced by those of the Amiral Ronarc'h class from the mid-2020s .

technology

Hull

With a length of 124.2 m, a width of 15.4 m and a draft of 4.1 m, the frigates of the La Fayette class have a maximum displacement of 3600 t. The crew is 141 men, but there is accommodation for other people, such as special forces .

The entire hull is made of shipbuilding steel. The superstructures, on the other hand, are made of a sandwich construction made of balsa wood and GRP . Some vital sections are also armored with Kevlar .

drive

The drive system is designed as a CODAD system (Combined Diesel and Diesel). Four SEMT Pielstick PA6 V280 STC marine diesel engines with vibration dampening with a total output of 14.72 MW provide propulsion. The engine power is then transferred to the water via two shafts with five-blade controllable pitch propellers. The maximum speed is over 25 kn. The machine rooms are so generously dimensioned that it would also be possible to convert to an alternative drive concept if necessary. Fully electric drives have been considered in various navies for some time, but so far these have only been implemented in significantly larger ships. Three diesel generators, each with an output of 750 kW, supply the ships with electrical energy. The propulsion system, power generation, power distribution and the ship's operating systems are centrally controlled by a redundant Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS). In addition, a bow thruster is scaffolded to increase maneuverability.

Stealth

The La Fayette class was the first operational stealth ship class to be built extensively according to stealth principles . For example, the Sea Shadow was built long before the La Fayette, but the Sea Shadow was exclusively a test ship. The Arleigh Burke class , which was previously in service , was also optimized for a low radar and later thermal signature, but this was not carried out as extensively as the La Fayette class.

A ship built according to stealth principles is designed in such a way that it is difficult to locate by radar systems. The most important thing is to reduce the radar reflection. For this purpose, all cylindrical shapes were dispensed with during the construction of the ships and all outer walls had to be inclined. In addition, as already described above, special materials were used for the structures. A special radar absorbing coating has also been applied to some sections of the La Fayette. Rocket launchers, guns, dinghies, etc. must also be appropriately clad and, if necessary, coated. These measures give all stealth ships such as the La Fayette their characteristic appearance.

A second point is to reduce the heat radiation, since this can be located by IR sensors. The main problem here are the exhaust gases, which are therefore mixed with air in a complicated process and cooled before they are emitted.

The advantage of these techniques is that the ships are heavier and can therefore only be located later by the enemy. After the location, the ship should only be visible to the enemy as a very small object, well below its real size. Here the opponent should think that it is a much safer ship than it really is. In the case of the La Fayette , stealth technology reduces the radar signature by around 60%, shrinking a La Fayette-class unit to the size of a large fishing boat. So it stands to reason that such a ship mingles with a fishing association, for example, and is then mistaken for a fishing boat on the opponent's radar system.

However, these measures have a disadvantageous effect on costs and, moreover, additional space is required to accommodate the mixing of exhaust gases and the like.

Armament

The 100 mm gun at the bow, the Crotale starter at the stern and the Exocets amidships are clearly visible

In accordance with their mandate to take on patrol duties and to fight in low-intensity conflicts, the ships of the La Fayette class are extensively armed, but some systems that are considered unnecessary have been dispensed with. There is no anti-submarine armament, just as the capabilities for long-range air defense and land attack were dispensed with.

On the forecastle there is a 100 mm Modèle 100 TR ship gun from the French state armaments company Nexter . This is the latest in a family of 100mm guns. The tower, which is completely disguised for stealth, weighs around 22 tons including 600 rounds of ammunition and is operated completely unmanned. The rate of fire is 78 rounds per minute and the maximum range is 17,000 meters. The effective range is 12,000 meters for sea targets and 6,000 meters for air targets. The maximum elevation is 40 °.

Amidships, behind a stealth fairing, two quad launchers for Exocet marine target missiles are scaffolded.

Crotale starters

At the rear of the helicopter hangar an eight-way starter for is Crotales - aircraft missiles scaffolded. While the Crotale system covers the short range with a maximum range of 13 km, it is still planned to install two VLS modules , each with a capacity of eight Aster 15 , for the medium - haul area. There is sufficient space between the bridge structure and the gun for the Aster system, but no scaffolding has yet been carried out.

20 mm autocannon F2

As the attack on the USS Cole showed, there is a threat of attacks by small, fast boats. To enable such ward, are on all ships of La Fayette-class frigate, two 20-mm automatic cannon scaffolded by the French type F2. This gun can fire up to 720 rounds per minute. The range is about 1500 meters.

A DAGAIE Mk2 turret is located on both sides of the front mast at bridge deck level. Each system can accommodate six radar and / or infrared decoys for defense against approaching missiles.

More equipment

The dinghies in their open hangars and the helicopter are clearly visible

There is a large helicopter landing pad and hangar at the stern of all ships. Helicopters up to a weight of ten tons can be used. The French Navy is currently using Eurocopter Panther helicopters for this purpose . Later these are to be replaced by the new helicopters of the type NH90 , which were developed by a multinational consortium and are currently being delivered.

A dinghy is also carried amidships on both sides . In order to keep the radar signature as low as possible, the dinghies are also housed behind a panel.

export

The Makkah anti-aircraft frigate

Saudi Arabia : Al-Riyadh class

In 1994, Saudi Arabia ordered two ships of a modified La Fayette class from France and in 1997 the option of a third ship was exercised. Since Saudi Arabia did not need a patrol frigate for overseas territories, but a ship that should primarily be used for air defense tasks, massive changes had to be made. The Saudi ships were lengthened by 9 m to 133 m and widened by 1.6 m to 17 m. The draft increased by 30 cm to 4.4 m and the displacement increased by 1050 tons to a maximum of 4650 tons. This massive increase was necessary to accommodate the much more extensive air defense equipment. Two VLS modules , each holding eight Aster 15 , were also installed for air defense . Accordingly, the crew had to be increased, which comprises 180 instead of 141 men. In addition, the Exocet anti -ship missiles were replaced by AGM-84 Harpoon and instead of the French 100 mm gun, an Italian gun of the type 76/62 Compact was scaffolded.

Naval Ensign of Saudi Arabia.svg Saudi Arabian Navy - Al Riyadh Class
Hull number Surname Keel laying Launch Commissioning
812 Al Riyadh 1999 August 2000 July 2002
814 Makkah 2000 July 20, 2001 2003
816 Al Dammam 2001 September 2002 2004
Formidable

Singapore : Formidable class

Singapore also ordered six frigates of a La Fayette derivative under the project name Delta. The hull was widened slightly and shortened by about 10 m, which is why the ships are a bit smaller overall. Instead of the four marine diesel engines from SEMT Pielstick, those from MTU Friedrichshafen were used. Since these provide a slightly higher performance, the maximum speed increases to 27 knots. As the Singapore ships are the newest of the La Fayette family, it has benefited from more recent developments. The crew could be halved to only 70 men and the radar signature was further reduced. In order to promote domestic industry, Singapore was able to obtain from the French manufacturers that only the type ship is built in France, while the remaining five units of the Formidable class are manufactured at Singapore Technology Marine in Benoi.

In contrast to the ships of the Navy nationale, the Formidable class also has anti-submarine equipment. Instead of Exocet, the anti-ship missiles AGM-84 Harpoon from American production were chosen. The air defense is carried out exclusively by four VLS modules , each of which can hold eight Aster 15s ; a supplementary system such as Crotale or Phalanx CIWS has been dispensed with. As on the Saudi ships, the Italian 76/62 compact turret is used.

The Republic of Singapore Navy uses the prefix RSS, which stands for Republic of Singapore Ship , for all of its ships .

Naval Ensign of Singapore.svg Republic of Singapore Navy - Formidable class
Hull number Surname Keel laying Launch Commissioning
68 Formidable 2002 January 7, 2004 2005
69 Intrepid 2003 July 3, 2004 2005
70 Steadfast 2003 January 28, 2005 2005
71 Tenacious 2004 July 15, 2005 2006
72 Stalwart 2004 December 9, 2005 2006
73 Supreme 2005 May 9, 2006 2007

Republic of China : Kang Ding class

In 1992, Taiwan ordered six ships based on the design of the La Fayette class under the project name Kuang Hua II. The Taiwanese ships have the same dimensions as the French, but their main task is to hunt submarines and are accordingly equipped with bow sonar , tow sonar and torpedoes .

The Italian 76/62 compact gun is also used in the Taiwanese units . Instead of the Exocet anti-ship missile, a system called Hsiung Feng II, which was developed independently in the Republic of China, was installed. A Phalanx CIWS is also scaffolded for close-range air defense . One shortcoming of the ships of the Republic of China set the outmoded Chaparral - aircraft missiles , which fall instead of Crotales be used. Various plans have already been drawn up to equip a more modern air defense system, but this has not yet been implemented. A missile developed in Taiwan and RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missiles are under discussion .

Naval Jack of the Republic of China.svg Navy of the Republic of China - Kang Ding class
Hull number Surname Keel laying Launch Commissioning
1202 Kang thing August 1, 1993 March 12, 1994 May 24, 1996
1203 Si Ning March 28, 1994 5th November 1994 October 12, 1996
1205 Kun Ming November 7, 1994 May 13, 1995 February 26, 1997
1206 Di Hua July 1, 1995 November 26, 1995 August 8, 1997
1207 Wu Chang July 1, 1995 November 26, 1995 December 16, 1997
1208 Chen you December 27, 1995 2nd August 1996 March 19, 1998

People's Republic of China

The frigates of the type 054 and 054A of the Chinese Navy show similarities to the frigates of the La Fayette class in some areas, but also have different characteristics that speak against a direct replica.

Trivia

The La Fayette is in the seventeenth James Bond film GoldenEye as a backdrop for the theft of a Eurocopter Tiger .

Web links

Commons : La Fayette-class frigates  - Collection of images, videos and audio files