French frigate La Motte-Picquet

The Georges Leygues-class ships were designed as anti-submarine (ASW) escorts for the fleet.^[2] They had an overall length of 139 metres (456 ft), a beam of 14 m (45 ft 11 in) and a draught of 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in). The ships had a standard displacement of 3,830 tonnes (3,770 long tons) and 4,580 tonnes (4,510 long tons) at full load.^[3] Based on experience with the earlier ships in the class, La Motte-Picquet had her bridge (nautical) raised one level and 210 t (210 long tons) of ballast was added to improve her stability.^[4] The Georges Leyguess' propulsion machinery used a CODOG configuration with one SEMT-Pielstick 16PA6-V280 diesel engine and a Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbine were coupled to each of the two propeller shafts. The diesels were used for speeds under 21 knots (39 km/h; 24 mph) and the gas turbines for sprints up to 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph). The diesels were rated at a total of 12,800 metric horsepower (12,600 bhp; 9,400 kW) and the turbines at a total of 46,200 shp (46,800 PS; 34,500 kW).^[3] The combination give the ships a range of 9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) at 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph). The frigates had a complement of 216 sailors.^[2]

The primary anti-ship weapon of the Georges Leyguess consisted of four single box launchers for MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles, located aft of the funnel with two launchers on each broadside. The frigates were designed with a single 100-millimetre (3.9 in) Modèle 1968 dual-purpose gun in a single-gun turret forward of the superstructure. They were also equipped with two 20 mm (0.8 in) guns. The ships were fitted with a octuple Crotale anti-aircraft missile launcher with 26 reloads located on the aft superstructure. The anti-submarine (ASW) weapons of the Georges Leygues-class ships consisted of two torpedo launchers, one on each side of the ship. Each ship carried ten torpedoes. The ships were designed to carry helicopters, a pair of Westland Lynx ASW helicopters in a double hangar at the stern.^[2][3]

They were completed with a DRBV 51C search radar, a DRBC 32E fire-control radar and a DRBV 26 early-warning radar. For anti-submarine warfare, they were equipped with a DUBV 23B hull-mounted sonar and DUBV 43B towed variable depth sonar. For electronic defence, the vessels mounted two Syllex chaff launchers. The SENIT 4 tactical data system coordinated sensor data.^[2][3]

In March 2016, La Motte-Picquet shadowed the Russian destroyer Vice-Admiral Kulakov, an oiler and a tugboat as it passed near French waters.^[5] The following month La Motte-Picquet was part of the Anglo-French CJEF exercise.^[6]

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  The F70 type frigates are equipped with a Variable Depth Sonar type DUBV43 or DUBV43C.
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  Operational Center of La Motte-Picquet (7 February 2001).
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  Gunnery crew of La Motte-Picquet, in front of the Crotale anti-air missile launcher
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  Shooting exercises with an ANF1, from the bridge.
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  WEAPONS crew of La Motte-Picquet.
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  Patch of La Motte Picquet.
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  La Motte-Picquet in Cobh, Ireland, 12 June 2014.
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  La Motte-Picquet in Cobh, Ireland, 12 June 2014.