French frigate Languedoc
{{short description|FREMM class multi-purpose frigates in the French Navy}}
{{other ships|French ship Languedoc}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= The French navy frigate FS Languedoc (D653), front, sails alongside USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in the Mediterranean Sea. (51080966828) (cropped).jpg |Ship caption=Languedoc in the Mediterranean Sea, March 2021 }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=France |Ship flag= {{shipboxflag|France|naval}} |Ship name= Languedoc |Ship namesake= Languedoc |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship original cost= |Ship yard number= |Ship way number= |Ship laid down= 30 November 2011 |Ship launched=12 July 2014 |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= October 2015 |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= 4 July 2017 |Ship recommissioned= |Ship decommissioned= |Ship maiden voyage= |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= Toulon |Ship identification=*{{MMSI Number|227999400}}
|Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate= |Ship status= Active |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class= {{sclass|Aquitaine|frigate}} |Ship displacement= 6,000 tons |Ship length= {{convert|466|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} |Ship beam= {{convert|65|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} |Ship height= |Ship draught= {{convert|16|ft|m|abbr=on|1}} |Ship power= |Ship propulsion= *MTU Series 4000 (2,2 MW everyone) |Ship speed= {{convert|27|kn|lk=in}}; max cruise speed {{convert|15.6|kn|lk=in}} |Ship range={{convert|6000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn|lk=in}} |Ship endurance= |Ship complement=145 |Ship sensors=*Héraklès multi-purpose passive electronically scanned array radar
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|Ship armour= |Ship aircraft= 1 × NH90 helicopter |Ship aircraft facilities=Single hangar |Ship notes= }} |
Languedoc (D653) is an Aquitaine-class frigate of the French Navy. The Aquitaine class were developed from the FREMM multipurpose frigate program.{{Cite web|title=Aquitaine class FREMM Frigate French Navy Marine Nationale|url=http://www.seaforces.org/marint/French-Navy/Destroyer-Frigate/Aquitaine-FREMM-class.htm|access-date=2020-11-08|website=www.seaforces.org}}
Development and design
Original plans were for 17 FREMM to replace the nine {{sclass|D'Estienne d'Orves|aviso|0}} avisos and nine anti-submarine frigates of the {{sclass|Tourville|frigate|5}} and {{sclass|Georges Leygues|frigate|4}}es. In November 2005 France announced a contract of €3.5 billion for development and the first eight hulls, with options for nine more costing €2.95 billion split over two tranches (totaling 17).
Following the cancellation of the third and fourth of the {{sclass2|Horizon|frigate|1}}s in 2005 on budget grounds, requirements for an air-defence derivative of the FREMM called FREDA were placed – with DCNS coming up with several proposals.{{cite news|date=19 September 2007|title=FREMM : Supprimer des frégates, un non sens économique et stratégique?|language=fr|newspaper=Mer et Marine|url=http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/imprimer-article/58043|url-status=live|access-date=23 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130518021529/http://www.meretmarine.com/fr/imprimer-article/58043|archive-date=18 May 2013}} Expectations were that the last two ships of the 17 FREMM planned would be built to FREDA specifications; however, by 2008 the plan was revised down to just 11 FREMM (9 ASW variants and 2 FREDA variants) at a cost of €8.75 billion (FY13, ~US$12 billion).{{cite web|date=20 November 2014|title=Projet de loi de finances pour 2015 : Défense : équipement des forces|url=http://www.senat.fr/rap/a14-110-8/a14-110-819.html#toc308|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141216190220/http://www.senat.fr/rap/a14-110-8/a14-110-819.html#toc308|archive-date=16 December 2014|accessdate=2015-02-22|publisher=Senate of France|language=French}} The 11 ships would cost €670 million (~US$760m) each in FY2014, or €860m (~US$980m) including development costs. In 2015, the total number of ASW variants was further reduced to just six units, including Languedoc.
Construction and career
Languedoc was developed as part of a joint Italian-French program known as FREMM, which was implemented to develop a new class of frigates for use by various European navies. Constructed from 2011. On 12 July 2014, the frigate Languedoc was launched.
On 14 April 2018, the frigate participated in the bombing of Barzeh and Him Shinshar in Syria with the United States and the United Kingdom. Neither {{ship|French frigate|Aquitaine||2}} nor {{ship|French frigate|Auvergne||2}} were able to fire their missiles, and it was Languedoc which carried out by firing three MdCN of which this is the first operational use.
On 24 April 2019, Languedoc, {{HMS|Duncan|D37|6}}, {{USS|Mobile Bay}}, {{USS|Bainbridge|DDG-96|6}} and {{ship|Spanish frigate|Méndez Núñez||2}} conducted exercises in the Mediterranean Sea with {{USS|Abraham Lincoln|CVN-72|6}} and {{USS|John C. Stennis}}.{{Cite web|date=2019-04-24|title=Video: U.S. Navy Sails '200,000 Tons of Diplomacy' in the Mediterranean Sea|url=https://news.usni.org/2019/04/24/video-u-s-navy-sails-200000-tons-of-diplomacy-in-the-mediterranean-sea|access-date=2021-03-30|website=USNI News}}
Languedoc was engaged, alongside {{HNLMS|De Ruyter|F804|6}} and a Atlantique maritime patrol plane, in Operation Agenor for the benefit of the European Union (within the framework of EMASOH) for the surveillance of the Strait of Hormuz from 19 May 2020, replacing the frigate {{ship|French frigate|Forbin||2}}. On 6 August 2020, the incorporation of Languedoc into the operation was extended by three months thanks to the replacement of crew B by the A – which is a first for a French Navy vessel in operation since the passage to double crew in 2019, carried out in 72 hours at the French naval base in Abu Dhabi at Port Zayed, thus ensuring the permanence and continuity of the frigate's commitment to its mission. The frigate was then accompanied by {{HDMS|Iver Huitfeldt|F361|6}} replacing HNLMS De Ruyter.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-03|title=Forbin : retour sur sa première participation à l'opération européenne Agenor|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/forbin-retour-sur-sa-premiere-participation-loperation-europeenne-agenor|access-date=2020-11-09|website=Mer et Marine|language=fr}}{{Cite web|date=2020-08-24|title=Agenor : le Languedoc restera 6 mois, une frégate danoise intègre l'opération|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/agenor-le-languedoc-restera-6-mois-une-fregate-danoise-integre-loperation|access-date=2020-11-09|website=Mer et Marine|language=fr}}
On 27 March 2021, Languedoc conducted underway replenishment to receive fuel from the aircraft carrier {{USS|Dwight D. Eisenhower}} in the Mediterranean Sea and in July 2022 she was sailing with the {{USS|Harry S. Truman}} carrier strike group (HSTCSG) in the Mediterranean.{{cite web | url=https://seawaves.com/?p=23337 | title=French, Italian Ships Join Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group |work=SeaWaves Magazine }}
In mid 2023, the frigate was operating in the Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf, accompanying the nuclear attack submarine {{ship|French submarine|Suffren||2}} for part of that deployment.{{Cite web|date=2023-10-05|title=Le SNA Suffren rentre de son premier déploiement en océan Indien |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/le-sna-suffren-rentre-de-son-premier-deploiement-en-ocean-indien |access-date=2023-10-05|website=Mer et Marine|language=fr |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent }} On 26 November 2023, Languedoc completed a transit of the Strait of Hormuz to enter the waters of the Persian Gulf as the Strike Group continues to support USCENTCOM missions.{{Cite tweet |number=1728899895602679992 |title=On Nov. 26, the Carrier Strike Group Eisenhower (IKECSG) completed a transit of the Strait of Hormuz to enter the waters of the Persian Gulf as the Strike Group continues to support USCENTCOM missions. |user=CENTCOM |author=U.S. Central Command |url=https://twitter.com/CENTCOM/status/1728899895602679992 |access-date=2023-11-26}} On 9 December 2023, Languedoc shot down two unmanned aerial vehicles in the Red Sea {{Convert|110|km|nmi}} off Al Hudaydah, Yemen.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-10 |title=French warship in Red Sea targeted by drones launched from Yemen |url=https://www.rfi.fr/en/france/20231210-french-warship-in-red-sea-targeted-by-drones-launched-from-yemen |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=RFI |language=en}} The frigate returned to Toulon in March 2024 after seven months on deployment.{{Cite web |date=March 8, 2024 |title=Après sept mois de déploiement, la frégate Languedoc a regagné Toulon |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/apres-sept-mois-de-deploiement-la-fregate-languedoc-a-regagne-toulon |access-date=March 8, 2024 |website=Mer et Marine |language=fr}}
Gallery
References
{{Commons category|D653 Languedoc (ship, 2016)}}
{{Reflist}}
{{Aquitaine class frigate}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Languedoc, French frigate}}