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 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 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 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 .
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 : Beam : Draught : Complement: 272 2 × Model 1953 guns (2×1) 1 × Malafon anti-submarine missile launcher (13 missiles) 6 × torpedo tubes (2×3) 1 × quadruple anti-submarine mortar 2 × 20 mm AA cannon 1 × Alouette II or Alouette III helicopter
Ships Pennant Name Named after Builder Commissioned FateD633Guy-Victor DuperréArsenal de Lorient8 October 1957Trials ship for Cormoran I sonar, 1967–71Rearmed 1972Decommissioned 1 June 1992.As of 2012 at Landévennec awaiting demolition.D634Bertrand-François Mahé de La BourdonnaisArsenal de Brest3 March 1958Decommissioned July 1976Sunk by an Exocet SM39 from the submarine Ouessant, May 1992D635 Claude de ForbinArsenal de Brest1 February 1958Converted to helicopter training ship, 1973Decommissioned 1 June 1981Sunk as a target off Brest, 17 May 1999D636Jean-François TartuAC Bretagne5 February 1958Decommissioned December 1979Sunk, 80 miles off Lorient, 9 December 1998D637 Bernard JauréguiberryFC de la Gironde15 July 1958Decommissioned 16 September 1977Sunk by Exocet MM40 missile off the Île du Levant, 30 May 1986 D638Roland-Michel Barrin de La GalissonièreArsenal de Lorient11 July 1962Decommissioned 20 April 1990Scrapped in Ghent, Belgium in 2015.
See also List of Escorteurs of the French Navy
References
Bibliography Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995
External links ex-Duperre at anchorage in Brest, France 2004