French frigate Courbet
{{Other ships|French ship Courbet}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image=FS Courbet 6.jpg |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=France |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|France|naval}} |Ship name=Courbet |Ship namesake=Admiral Amédée Courbet |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship builder= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down=15 September 1993 |Ship launched=12 March 1994 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned=1 April 1997 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport=Toulon |Ship identification=*{{MMSI Number|228731000}} |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours=Flies the FNFL jack in honour of the battleship {{ship|French battleship|Courbet|1911|2}} |Ship captured= |Ship fate= |Ship status=In active service |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class={{sclass|La Fayette|frigate}} |Ship displacement=* {{cvt|3280|t|LT|lk=on}} |Ship length={{convert|125|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship beam={{convert|15.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship height= |Ship draught={{convert|4.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} |Ship power= |Ship propulsion=4 SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2 diesel engines, {{cvt|21000|hp|kW|lk=on|order=flip}} |Ship speed={{convert|25|kn|lk=in}} |Ship range={{convert|7000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on |
| 3}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship endurance= |Ship complement=170+;{{Cite web|url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/lafayette/ |title=La Fayette Class Frigate|date=3 May 2001|website=Naval Technology}} around 6 additional personnel on Courbet post-upgrade{{Cite web|url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/02/french-mission-jeanne-darc-2023-to-sail-across-indo-pacific/ |title=French Mission Jeanne D'Arc 2023 To Sail Across Indo-Pacific |date=3 February 2023|website=Naval News |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier}} |Ship sensors=*1 × Air/Surface DRBV 15C sentry radar
|Ship EW=*1 × Saïgon ARBG 1 radio interceptor
|Ship armament=
|Ship armour=On sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre) |Ship aircraft= 1 × helicopter (Panther or NH90) |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
Courbet is a general purpose stealth frigate of the French Navy (Marine Nationale) of the {{sclass|La Fayette|frigate|4}}. She is the third French vessel named after the 19th-century Admiral Amédée Courbet.
Construction and career
Courbet took part in Opération Baliste. On 3 October 2006, an Israeli fighter aircraft penetrated her {{convert|2|nmi|km|0|adj=on}} defence perimeter without responding to radio calls, triggering a diplomatic incident. Israel apologised after official protests from the French government. Throughout September the ship was involved in anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, helping to recapture a yacht taken by pirates on 2 September.
In December 2009 Courbet escorted the French Navy cruiser {{ship|French cruiser|Jeanne d'Arc|R97|2}} on her final voyage. This was last trip of the helicopter carrier that served as a floating embassy and symbol of the French Navy for 46 years. Jeanne d'Arc{{'}}s last voyage in company with Courbet included visits to Africa, South America including Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires, the French Antilles, the United States including New York City, and Canada. The voyage was completed sometime in May 2010.{{cite press release |url=http://www.frenchculture.org/IMG/pdf/Press_Release_-_French_Warship_on_Last_Trip_Delivers_Books_to_NYC_Students.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728011240/http://www.frenchculture.org/IMG/pdf/Press_Release_-_French_Warship_on_Last_Trip_Delivers_Books_to_NYC_Students.pdf |archive-date=28 July 2011 |title=French Warship on Last Trip Delivers Books to NYC Students |publisher=Consulate general of France NYC |date=10 March 2010 |access-date=22 June 2021 |url-status=dead}}
During the Libyan Civil War, on 29 April 2011, while on patrol off Misrata, Courbet found and engaged four loyalist RHIB boats laying mines, sinking one of them.{{cite web |date=2011 |title=Stalemate & Siege |url=http://www.understandingwar.org/sites/default/files/Libya_Part3_0.pdf |access-date=19 September 2020 |website=www.understandingwar.org}}
In June 2020, while on patrol to counter alleged arms smuggling to Libya, France claimed that Turkish frigates illuminated Courbet three times with their fire control radar, a claim which was denied by Turkish officials.{{Cite news|date=2 July 2020|title=Libya crisis: France suspends Nato mission role amid Turkey row|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-53262725|access-date=15 April 2021}}
On her first operational deployment after her mid-life upgrade, Courbet, operating in the Gulf of Guinea in conjunction with the helicopter assault ship {{ship|French ship|Mistral|L9013|2}}, was involved in the seizure of just under 2 tons of drugs in May 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2022/05/new-drug-seizure-by-the-french-navy-in-the-gulf-of-guinea/ |title=New Drug Seizure By The French Navy In The Gulf Of Guinea |work=Naval News |date=25 May 2022 |access-date=27 May 2022}}
In September 2023, while operating in the Mediterranean the frigate experienced a fire on board. Although no one was reported injured and the fire was extinguished, she as compelled to return to Toulon for evaluation and repair.{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-fregate-courbet-interrompt-sa-mission-et-rentre-a-toulon-apres-un-incendie-dans-ses |title=La frégate Courbet interrompt sa mission et rentre à Toulon après un incendie dans ses machines |work=Mer et Marine |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |date=22 September 2023 |access-date=22 September 2023}} The frigate was reported to have returned to sea in February 2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-fregate-courbet-a-repris-la-mer |title=La frégate Courbet a repris la mer |work=Mer et Marine |last=Caroline |first=Britz |date=9 February 2024 |access-date=9 February 2024}}
Upgrade
Courbet was the first ship of her class to begin a mid-life upgrade in October 2020. 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 as well as the capacity to carry the latest variant of the Exocet anti-ship missile.{{cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2020/october/9094-naval-group-starts-renovation-and-upgrade-of-french-navy-courbet-la-fayette-class-frigate.html |title=Naval Group starts renovation and upgrade of French Navy Courbet La Fayette-class frigate |date=October 2020 |work=Navy Recognition |access-date=22 June 2021}} The frigate returned to sea in June 2021 following her upgrade. She is projected to remain in service until 2032.{{Cite web |title=Marine nationale : les programmes qui vont façonner la future flotte française |work=Mer et Marine|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/marine-nationale-les-programmes-qui-vont-faconner-la-future-flotte-francaise |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |date=2 January 2021 |access-date=15 April 2021|language=fr}}
Going forward it was also planned to incorporate the CANTO anti-torpedo countermeasures system in the frigate.{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/07/video-french-navys-la-fayette-class-frigate-mid-life-update/ |title=Video: French Navy's La Fayette-Class Frigate Mid-Life Update |work=Naval News |last=Manaranche |first=Martin |date=31 July 2021 |access-date=28 August 2021}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Courbet (F712)}}
- [http://www.defense.gouv.fr/marine/decouverte/equipements/batiments-de-surface/batiments-de-combat/fregates/type-la-fayette/courbet-f-712/presentation Marine nationale, Frégate type La Fayette Presentation-Courbet (F 712)]
{{La Fayette class frigate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Courbet (F712)}}