D'Estienne d'Orves class
Encyclopedia
The A69 type Avisos are small warships mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions (notably in support missions with the FOST
Fošt
Fošt is a settlement at the foothills of the Pohorje range to the west if Slovenska Bistrica municipality in northeastern Slovenia. The area is part of the traditional region of Lower Styria. It is now included with the rest of the Slovenska Bistrica municipality into the Podravje statistical...
). Built on a simple and robust design, they have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions. The A69 design was based in the project of the João Coutinho class corvette
Corvette
A corvette is a small, maneuverable, lightly armed warship, originally smaller than a frigate and larger than a coastal patrol craft or fast attack craft , although many recent designs resemble frigates in size and role...
s of the Portuguese Navy
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Portuguese military, is charged with the military defence of Portugal....
.
Ships in the class
A total of 17 ships of this class were built and named after the heroes of the Second World War. Eight of these ships have since been decommissioned and six of them were sold to the Turkish NavyTurkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
where they were redesignated as the B Class
B class corvette
B class corvette is a warship class of the Turkish Navy, all ex-D'Estienne d'Orves class A69 type Aviso corvettes, mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defense and ocean escort missions...
corvette.
The nine ships remaining in French service will have their heavy weapons removed and be reclassified as oceanic patrol ships. They will replace the P400 class patrol vessel
P400 class patrol vessel
The P400 patrol ships are small vessels of the French Navy. They were designed to accomplish police operations in the large French Exclusive Economic Zone....
s in this rolehttp://secretdefense.blogs.liberation.fr/defense/2008/10/exclusif-les-av.html.
Decommissioned or transferred
- F781 D'Estienne d'Orves (named after Henri Honoré d'Estienne d'OrvesHenri Honoré d'Estienne d'OrvesHenri Honoré d'Estienne d'Orves was a French Navy officer, reputed "first martyr of Free France" and one of the major heroes of the French Resistance.-Early life:...
, decommissioned in 1999, now Turkish TCG Beykoz.) - F782 Amyot d'Inville (decommissioned in 1999, now Turkish TCG Bartin.)
- F783 Drogou (decommissioned in 2000, now Turkish TCG Bodrum)
- F784 Détroyat (decommissioned in 1997)
- F785 Jean Moulin (named after Jean MoulinJean MoulinJean Moulin was a high-profile member of the French Resistance during World War II. He is remembered today as an emblem of the Resistance primarily due to his role in unifying the French resistance under de Gaulle and his courage and death at the hands of the Germans.-Before the war:Moulin was...
, decommissioned in 1999) - F786 Quartier-Maître Anquetil (decommissioned in 2000, now Turkish TCG Bandirma)
- F787 Commandant de Pimodan (decommissioned in 2000, now Turkish TCG Bozcaada)
- F788 Second-Maître Le Bihan (decommissioned in 2002, now Turkish TCG Bafra)
In service in the French Navy
- F789 Lieutenant de vaisseau Le Hénaff
- F790 Lieutenant de vaisseau Lavallée
- F791 Commandant L'Herminier
- F792 Premier-Maître L'Her
- F793 Commandant Blaison
- F794 Enseigne de vaisseau Jacoubet
- F795 Commandant Ducuing (named after Gabriel Auguste Ferdinand DucuingGabriel Auguste Ferdinand DucuingCommandant Gabriel Auguste Ferdinand Ducuing was an officer in the French Navy of the First and Second World Wars.-Early life:...
) - F796 Commandant Birot
- F797 Commandant Bouan
In service in the Argentine Navy
Argentine Navy
The Navy of the Argentine Republic or Armada of the Argentine Republic is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with the Army and the Air Force....
also operates three D'Estienne D'Orves-class ships, locally known as the Drummond Class
Drummond class corvette
The Drummond class are three corvettes designed and built in France basically similar to the D'Estienne d'Orves class . The ships were all commissioned between 1978 and 1982 in the Argentine Navy...
. The first two ships were originally ordered by the South African Navy
South African Navy
The South African Navy is the navy of the Republic of South Africa.-Formation:The South African Navy can trace its official origins back to the SA Naval Service, which was established on 1 April 1922....
, but due to UN sanctions
United Nations Security Council Resolution 418
United Nations Security Council Resolution 418, adopted unanimously on 4 November 1977, imposed a mandatory arms embargo against apartheid South Africa. This resolution differed from the earlier Resolution 282, which was only voluntary...
against South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, they were not delivered and were bought by the Argentine Navy in 1978. The third ship of the class was ordered by Argentina and was delivered in 1981.
- P-31 ARA DrummondARA Drummond (P-31)ARA Drummond is the lead ship of the Drummond class of three corvettes of the Argentine Navy. She is the second vessel to be named after Navy Sgt Francisco Drummond.-Service history:...
(ex South African Good Hope) - P-32 ARA GuerricoARA Guerrico (P-32)ARA Guerrico is a Drummond class corvette of the Argentine Navy. She is the first vessel to be named after Rear Admiral Martin Guerrico who fought in the 19th century War of the Triple Alliance....
(ex South African Transvaal) - P-33 ARA Granville
External links
- globalsecurity.org
- Alabordache.com French Aviso in activity
- Alabordache.com French Aviso disarmed Argentine Navy (ARA) official site – class specifications & pictures