The T 53 class were the second group of destroyer

Destroyer

In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...

s built for the French Navy

French Navy

The French Navy, officially the Marine nationale and often called La Royale is the maritime arm of the French military. It includes a full range of fighting vessels, from patrol boats to a nuclear powered aircraft carrier and 10 nuclear-powered submarines, four of which are capable of launching...

 after World War 2. These ships were a modified versionof the T 47 class destroyer

T 47 class destroyer

The T 47 class were the first destroyers built for the French Navy after the Second World War. Twelve ships were built between 1955 and 1957. The ships were modernised in the 1960s and decommissioned in the 1980s when they were replaced by Georges Leygues-class frigatesThese ships were larger than...

s. The main difference with the preceding ships was the provision of improved air warning and tracking radars as well as an anti-submarine mortar. The ships were built between 1957 and 1958 and were decommissioned in the late 1970s or early 1980s. A single modified ship the La Galissonnière was built as a trials ship for a new generation of French weapons. This ship was designated as type T56.

General characteristics

T53

• Displacement: 2750 tons standard, 3740 tons full load
• Length: 128.6 m
• Beam: 12.7 m
• Draught: 5.4 m
• Machinery: 2 shaft geared turbines, 4 boilers, 63,000 hp
• Speed: 34 knots
• Range: 5000 nmi at 18 knots
• Armament:
  • 6 - 127mm guns (3 twin turrets)
  • 6 - 57mm guns (3 twin turrets)
  • 4 - 20mm guns (4x1)
  • 6 - 550mm torpedo tubes (2x3)
  • 1 Bofors anti-submarine mortar
• Crew: 347

T56 (La Galissonnière )

• Length - 132.8 m
• Armament:
  • 2 - 100mm guns
  • 1- Malafon
    Malafon
    Malafon was a French ship-launched anti-submarine missile system. Developed in the 1950s and 60s, the weapon was intended to take advantage of the greater detection ranges possible with towed sonar arrays. The missile entered service in 1966 and was manufactured by Groupe LatécoèreThe weapon is...
    
     anti submarine missile launcher
  • 6 - 550mm torpedo tubes (2x3)
  • 1 - anti submarine mortar
  • 1 - Helicopter

Ships

Pennant	Name	Named after	Builder	Commissioned	Fate
D633	Duperré	Guy-Victor Duperré Guy-Victor Duperré Guy-Victor Duperré was a French admiral, Peer of France and thrice Naval Minister....	Arsenal de Lorient	8 October 1957	Trials ship 1967 - Decommissioned 1992
D634	La Bourdonnais	Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais Bertrand-François Mahé de La Bourdonnais was a French naval officer and administrator, in the service of the French East India Company.-Biography:...	Arsenal de Brest	3 March 1958	Decommissioned 1976
D635	Forbin	Claude de Forbin Claude de Forbin Claude, chevalier, then count de Forbin-Gardanne was a French naval commander. In 1685-1688 he was on a diplomatic mission to Siam...	Arsenal de Brest	1 February 1958	Decommissioned 1981
D636	Tartu	Jean-François Tartu Jean-François Tartu Jean-François Tartu was a French Navy officer, and hero of the French Revolution....	AC Bretagne	5 February 1958	Decommissioned 1979
D637	Jauréguiberry	Bernard Jauréguiberry Bernard Jauréguiberry Jean Bernard Jauréguiberry was a French admiral and statesman.A native of Bayonne, Jauréguiberry entered the French Navy in 1831. He rose steadily through the ranks, becoming a lieutenant in 1845, a commander in 1856, and a captain in 1860...	FC de la Gironde	15 July 1958	Decommissioned 1977, sunk as a target ship
D638	La Galissonnière	Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière Roland-Michel Barrin de La Galissonière, Marquis de La Galissonière, sometimes spelled Galissonnière, was the French governor of New France from 1747 to 1749 and the victor in the Battle of Minorca in 1756.- New France :...	Arsenalde Lorient	11 July 1962	Decommissioned 1990