T 47-class destroyer

The Bouvet (D624)
Class overview
Builders	Arsenal de Brest, Arsenal de Lorient, FC de la Geronde, AC Bretagne
Operators	France
Preceded by	Fantasque, Hardi
Succeeded by	T53
Subclasses	Anti-submarine and anti-air variants after refit
In service	1955
In commission	- 1988
Completed	12
Preserved	Maillé-Brézé
General characteristics
Displacement	2750 tons standard, 3740 tons full load
Length	128.6 m
Beam	12.7 m
Draught	5.4 m
Propulsion	2 shaft geared turbines, 4 boilers, 63,000 hp
Speed	34 knots
Range	5000 nmi at 18 knots
Complement	347
Armament	6 - 127mm guns (3 twin turrets) 6 - 57mm/60 modèle 1951 guns (3 twin turrets) 4 - 20mm guns (4x1) 12 - 550mm torpedo tubes (4x3)

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 frigates

These ships were larger than other contemporary European destroyers and were based on the wartime Hardi class destroyers but were enlarged and had a dual purpose armament. The ships were designed as fleet escorts rather than for independent operations therefore had a slower speed than their predecessors. The main guns were a French design firing a 127mm (5 inch) shell, which enabled them to use US ammunition.

General characteristics

Original design

• 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)
  • 12 - 550mm torpedo tubes (4x3)
• Crew: 347

AAW Modernisation

Four ships were modernised as anti air warfare guided missile destroyers in 1962-1995

• Armament: 1 Tartar Missile launcher
  • 6 – 57 mm guns (3 twin turrets)
  • 1 anti-submarine mortar
• Crew 277

Anti Submarine Modernisation

Five ships were modernised as anti submarine destroyers in 1968-1970

• Armament
  • 2 - 100mm guns
  • 1 - anti submarine mortar
  • 1 - Malafon Anti submarine missile launcher
  • 2 - 20mm guns

Ships

Pennant	Name	Named after	Builder	Commissioned	Modernisation	Fate
D621	Surcouf	Robert Surcouf	Arsenal de Lorient	1 November 1955	None	Accidentally rammed in 1971; surviving aft part sunk as target in 1972.
D622	Kersaint	Armand de Kersaint	Arsenal de Lorient	20 March 1956	Anti-air	Decommissioned 1983
D623	Cassard	Jacques Cassard	AC Bretagne	14 April 1956	none	Broken up 1974
D624	Bouvet	Jean-Baptiste Charles Bouvet de Lozier	Arsenal de Lorient	13 May 1956	Anti-air	Decommissioned 1982
D625	Dupetit-Thouars	Aristide Aubert du Petit Thouars	Arsenal de Brest	15 September 1956	anti-air	Decommissioned 1988
D626	Chevalier Paul	Chevalier Paul	FC de la Geronde	22 December 1956	none	Decommissioned 1971
D627	Maillé-Brézé	Jean Armand de Maillé-Brézé	Arsenal de Lorient	4 May 1957	anti-submarine	Museum ship 1988
D628	Vauquelin	Louis Nicolas Vauquelin	Arsenal de Lorient	3 November 1956	anti-submarine	Decommissioned 1986
D629	D'Estrées	Jean II d'Estrées and Victor Marie d'Estrées	Arsenal de Brest	19 March 1957	anti-submarine	Decommissioned 1985
D630	Du Chayla	Armand Blanquet du Chayla	Arsenal de Brest	4 June 1957	anti-air	Decommissioned 1991
D631	Casabianca	Luc-Julien-Joseph Casabianca	AC Bretagne	4 May 1957	anti-submarine	Decommissioned 1984
D632	Guépratte	Émile Paul Amable Guépratte.	FC de la Géronde	6 June 1957	anti-submarine	Decommissioned 1985

References

• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995