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French frigate Aconit (F 713)

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For other ships with the same name, see French ship Aconit.
History
France
NameAconit
NamesakeFrench corvette Aconit
Laid down5 August 1996
Launched8 June 1997
Commissioned6 June 1999
Renamedlaid down as Jauréguiberry, renamed Aconit in 1996
HomeportToulon
IdentificationPennant number F 713
Honours and
awards
StatusIn active service
General characteristics
Class and typeLa Fayette-class frigate
Displacement3,680 t (3,620 long tons) fully loaded (post-refit)[1]
Length125 m (410 ft 1 in)
Beam15.4 m (50 ft 6 in)
Draught4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Propulsion
  • 4 × SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2 diesel engines
  • 16,000 kW (21,000 hp)
Speed25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph)
Range7,000 nmi (13,000 km; 8,100 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement170+;[2] around 6 additional personnel to be embarked on Aconit post-upgrade[3]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • 1 × Air/Surface DRBV 15C sentry radar
  • 1 x SENIT FLF combat management system (replaced previous Thales TAVITAC CMS during 2023 refit)[4]
  • 1 × firing control radar for the 100 mm gun
  • 1 × DRBN34 navigation radar
  • 1 × DRBN34 landing radar
  • 1 x KingKlip Mk 2 hull-mounted sonar (fit during 2023 refit)
Electronic warfare
& decoys
  • 1 × Saïgon ARBG 1 radio interceptor
  • 1 × ARBR 21 radar interceptor
  • 2 × Dagaie Mk2 chaff launcher
  • 1 × AN/SLQ-25 Nixie tugged noise maker
  • 1 × Prairie-Masker noise reduction system
  • 1 × Syracuse II
  • 1 × Inmarsat
  • CANTO anti-torpedo countermeasures (fit during 2023 refit)[5][6][7]
Armament
ArmourOn sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre)
Aircraft carried1 × helicopter (Panther or NH90)

Aconit is a general purpose stealth frigate of the French Navy. Initially to be named Jauréguiberry, she is now the fourth French vessel named after the FNFL corvette Aconit.

Service history

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She took part in the action of 9 April 2009.

Based in Toulon, the frigate was reported active in the Mediterranean as of 2021, taking part in the Mare Aperto exercises with the Italian Navy in October.[10]

In September 2022, the frigate deployed to the Indian Ocean participating in exercises with the Egyptian Navy en route.[11] From November 25 to December 8, the frigate was engaged in joint "Pearl of the West" exercises between French forces based in the United Arab Emirates and the Kuwaiti Armed Forces.[12] The frigate returned to her base at Toulon on 22 December 2022.[13]

Upgrade

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Aconit began a major life extension upgrade in February 2023.[14] The upgrade is designed to permit the frigate to operate through the 2020s and into the 2030s and incorporates the addition of hull-mounted sonar, improved point air defence systems, the CANTO anti-torpedo countermeasures system, as well as the capacity to deploy the latest variant of the Exocet anti-ship missile.[15][4] The ship was in dry dock until July and was then relaunched.[16] She is returned to sea in October and is projected to be fully operational again in early 2024, remaining active until 2034.[17][18][19]

References

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  1. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (28 November 2022). "La frégate La Fayette de nouveau opérationnelle après sa rénovation". Mer et Marine. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  2. ^ "La Fayette Class Frigate". Naval Technology. 3 May 2001.
  3. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (3 February 2023). "French Mission Jeanne D'Arc 2023 To Sail Across Indo-Pacific". Naval News.
  4. ^ a b Vavasseur, Xavier (18 October 2021). "First Upgraded la Fayette-class Frigate back into the French Fleet". Naval News.
  5. ^ Manaranche, Martin (31 July 2021). "Video: French Navy's La Fayette-Class Frigate Mid-Life Update". Naval News. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  6. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (18 July 2019). "Naval Group Ready To Produce CANTO Anti-Torpedo System In Australia". Naval News. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  7. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (17 October 2022). "Here Is Naval Group's New Torpedo Decoy Launcher". Naval News. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  8. ^ Vavasseur, Xavier (17 October 2022). "First Exocet MM40 Block 3c Missiles Set For December Delivery". Naval News. Retrieved 29 November 2022.
  9. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (15 April 2021). "Première FLF rénovée, la frégate Courbet remise à l'eau". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 26 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Aconit takes part in MARE APERTO". SeaWaves Magazine. Archived from the original on 2021-11-02. Retrieved 2021-11-02.
  11. ^ "L'Aconit coopère avec la Marine égyptienne" (in French). Marine nationale. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  12. ^ "FFEAU – Début de l'exercice interarmées franco-koweïtien Pearl of the West" [FFEAU – Start of the Franco-Kuwaiti joint exercise Pearl of the West] (in French). Ministère des Armées. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2023.
  13. ^ "Bilan du déploiement de la FLF Aconit en océan Indien" (in French). Marine nationale. 3 January 2023. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  14. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (10 February 2023). "Naval Group débute la rénovation de la frégate Aconit". Mer et Marine. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  15. ^ Manaranche, Martin (31 July 2021). "Video: French Navy's La Fayette-Class Frigate Mid-Life Update". Naval News. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Retour à la mer imminent pour l'Aconit". Ministère des Armées (in French). 3 August 2023. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
  17. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (4 October 2023). "La frégate Aconit reprend la mer" (in French). Retrieved 4 October 2023.
  18. ^ Groizeleau, Vincent (1 February 2021). "Marine nationale : Les programmes qui vont façonner la future flotte française". Mer et Marine (in French). Retrieved 18 October 2022.
  19. ^ "3ème et dernière rénovation des FLF : l'Aconit entre au bassin; Ministère des Armées" (in French). 15 February 2023. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
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