T 53 class destroyer

Updated on Dec 18, 2023

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Operators French Navy Succeeded by Aconit		Preceded by T 47 class In commission 1957-1992

Builders Arsenal de Brest Arsenal de Lorient Forges et Chantiers de la Gironde Ateliers et Chantiers de Bretagne Subclasses T 56 class Anti-submarine and anti-air variants after refit

The T 53 class were the second group of destroyers built for the French Navy after World War II. These ships were a modified version of the T 47-class destroyers. 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 La Galissonnière was built as a trials ship for a new generation of French weapons. This ship was designated as the T 56 class.

Modifications

In 1972–73 two of the class were substantially modified:

Duperré was completely rearmed with a Model 1968 100 mm (4 in) main gun, four Exocet MM38 missiles, two quadruple L5 torpedo launchers, and two 20 mm AA cannon. She was also fitted with a helipad to carry a Lynx WG13 helicopter.

Forbin had her forward 57 mm turret removed, and her aft 127 mm turret was replaced by a helipad. She was then principally used as a naval aviation training ship alongside the helicopter cruiser Jeanne d'Arc (R97).

La Galissonnière

La Galissonnière differed slightly in specification from the rest of the class as she was built specifically to test the Malafon anti-submarine missile.

Length : 128 m (419 ft 11 in)

Beam : 12 m (39 ft 4 in)

Draught : 5 m (16 ft 5 in)

Complement: 272

Armament

2 × Model 1953 100 mm (4 in) guns (1×2)

1 × Malafon anti-submarine missile launcher (13 missiles)

6 × 550 mm (21.7 in) torpedo tubes (2×3)

1 × quadruple 305 mm (12 in) anti-submarine mortar

2 × 20 mm AA cannon

1 × Alouette II or Alouette III helicopter