Editing French frigate Surcouf

{{Short description|La Fayette-class frigate, launched 1993}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2021}}
{{Other ships|French ship Surcouf}}
{{more citations needed|date=August 2010}}
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{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=FS Surcouf.jpg
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{{Infobox ship career
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|Ship country=France
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|France|naval}}
|Ship name=''Surcouf''
|Ship namesake=[[Robert Surcouf]]
|Ship ordered=
|Ship awarded=
|Ship builder=
|Ship original cost=
|Ship yard number=
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|Ship laid down=6 July 1992
|Ship launched=3 July 1993
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|Ship completed=
|Ship acquired=
|Ship commissioned=7 February 1997
|Ship recommissioned=
|Ship decommissioned=
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|Ship refit=
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|Ship homeport=
|Ship identification=*{{MMSI Number|228730000}}
*[[Maritime call sign|Callsign]]: FASF
|Ship motto=
|Ship nickname=
|Ship honours=Flies the [[Free French Forces|FFL]] jack in honour of the submarine {{ship|French submarine|Surcouf||2}}
|Ship honors=
|Ship captured=
|Ship fate=
|Ship status=In active service
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{{Infobox ship characteristics
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|Ship class={{Sclass|La Fayette|frigate}}
|Ship tonnage=
|Ship displacement=*3,200 tonnes
* 3,600 tonnes fully loaded
|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 diesel SEMT Pielstick 12PA6V280 STC2, {{cvt|21000|hp|lk=in}}
|Ship sail plan=
|Ship speed={{convert|25|kn|lk=in}}
|Ship range={{convert|7000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
|Ship endurance=
|Ship complement=164+<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.naval-technology.com/projects/lafayette/ |title=La Fayette Class Frigate|date=3 May 2001|website=Naval Technology}}</ref> 
|Ship sensors=*1 × Air/Surface DRBV 15C sentry radar
*1 × firing control radar for the 100 mm gun
*1 × DRBN34 navigation radar
*1 × DRBN34 landing radar
*1 x BlueWatcher sonar<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.navalnews.com/event-news/euronaval-2020/2020/10/euronaval-naval-group-starts-upgrade-work-on-la-fayette-class-frigates/|title = Euronaval: Naval Group Starts Upgrade Work on la Fayette-class frigates|date = 23 October 2020}}</ref>
|Ship EW=*1 × Saïgon ARBG 1 radio interceptor
*1 × ARBR 21 radar interceptor
*2 × Dagaie Mk2 [[Chaff (countermeasure)|chaff]] launcher
*1 × AN/[[SLQ-25 Nixie]] tugged noise maker
*1 × [[Prairie-Masker]] noise reduction system
*1 × Syracuse II
*1 × Inmarsat
|Ship armament=
*'''Anti-ship;'''
* 8 × [[Exocet]] MM40 block II anti-ship missiles
*'''Guns;'''
* 1 × [[French 100 mm naval gun|100&nbsp;mm TR automatic gun]]
* 2 × [[20 mm modèle F2 gun]]s
*'''Anti-aircraft;'''
* 1 × [[Crotale CN2]] launcher (8 missiles on the launcher with 16 reload)
* Manually-operated 2x2 [[Mistral (missile)|SIMBAD/Mistral point defence SAM]] reported fit in 2023<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-fregate-surcouf-anonymisee-et-equipee-de-systemes-simbad |title=La frégate Surcouf anonymisée et équipée de systèmes Simbad |date=15 May 2023 |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |website=Mer et Marine}}</ref>
|Ship armour=On sensitive areas (munition magazine and control centre)
|Ship armor=
|Ship aircraft=
1 × helicopter ([[Eurocopter Panther|Panther]] or [[NH90]])
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}
'''''Surcouf''''' (F711) is a {{sclass|La Fayette|frigate}} of the [[French Navy]]. Construction began at [[Lorient Naval Dockyard]] on 6 July 1992, [[ship naming and launching|launched]] 3 July 1993, and the ship was [[ship commissioning|commissioned]] May 1996. Since entering service, ''Surcouf'' has taken part in numerous missions, notably in Operation Antilope (Gabon and Congo), Operation Trident (Kosovo) and Mission Khor Anga in the Djibouti zone.

==Service history==
On 14 May 2001, ''Surcouf'' rendered assistance to the skipper of ''Biscuits La Trinitaine-Team Ethypharm'', who had to abandon his ship after her starboard hull was seriously damaged.  The catamaran's crew of five were airlifted to safety by helicopter.

On 14 October 2004, ''Surcouf'' assisted ''Sara 2'', a Panamanian cargo ship which ran aground near [[Yemen]]. The 16-man crew was successfully airlifted by the Panther helicopter, and later transferred from the frigate to the Yemeni coast guard.

Between 17 and 21 May 2008, ''Surcouf '' participated in Exercise KhunjarHaad, a multi-national exercise held in the [[Gulf of Oman]].  Other participating warships included the American destroyer {{USS|Russell|DDG-59|6}}, the British frigate {{HMS|Montrose|F236|6}}, the British [[Replenishment oiler|fleet replenishment tanker]] {{ship|RFA|Wave Knight|A389|6}} and four other coalition ships conducted air defense; surface warfare operation; [[Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure|visit, board, search and seizure (VBSS)]]; and joint gunnery exercises, which focused on joint interoperability training and proficiency.<ref name="Lt. j.g. Courtney Thraen, USN">{{cite web | first=Courtney |last=Thraen | title= USS Momsen Visits Cyprus  | url= http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=38920 | archive-url= https://archive.today/20121212024535/http://www.navy.mil/search/display.asp?story_id=38920 | url-status= dead | archive-date= 12 December 2012 | work= NNS080805-04 | agency= USS Momsen Public Affairs |publisher=United States Navy | date= 8 August 2008 | access-date=27 December 2010}}</ref>

In November 2012 ''Surcouf'' deployed to the [[Horn of Africa]] as part of the European Union's Naval Operation in the area.{{Update after|2013}} A British [[Westland Lynx|Lynx HMA.8]] helicopter of [[815 Naval Air Squadron|815 Squadron]] was on board for the whole four-month deployment, along with 12 personnel including 2 [[Royal Marine]] snipers.<ref name=NavyNews>{{cite news | url=https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/6115 | title=From frigate to frégate… Lynx team joins French warship on deployment | date=19 October 2012 | newspaper=Navy News | access-date=7 December 2012 | archive-date=13 August 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140813234033/https://navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/6115 | url-status=dead }}</ref>  This was the first extended deployment of a [[Royal Navy]] helicopter on a French warship and was the result of a treaty between the [[United Kingdom]] and [[France]] to share military resources and conduct more joint operations.<ref name=NavyNews /> 

During a 2017–18 refit, the frigate was equipped with a Thales Bluewatcher sonar as part of a two-year trial that was subsequently extended through 2022. ''Surcouf'' was the first ''La Fayette''-class ship to receive an active sonar capability.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-fregate-surcouf-conserve-son-sonar-bluewatcher | title=La frégate Surcouf conserve son sonar BlueWatcher |language=fr |work=Mer et Marine | date=10 July 2020 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.thalesgroup.com/en/markets/defence-and-security/naval-forces/underwater-warfare/bluescan/hull-mounted-sonars | title=Hull Mounted Sonars | date=18 October 2022 }}</ref>

In 2021, ''Surcouf'' deployed to the Pacific accompanying the French Navy helicopter assault ship {{ship|French ship|Tonnerre|L9014|2}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/02/french-amphibious-ready-group-set-sails-for-the-indo-pacific/|title = French Amphibious Ready Group Set Sails for the Indo-Pacific|date = 18 February 2021}}</ref>

In April 2022, ''Surcouf'', with a Panther helicopter embarked, again deployed to the Indian Ocean to relieve her sister ship {{ship|French frigate|Guépratte||2}}.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/la-fregate-surcouf-part-pour-un-deploiement-de-longue-duree-dans-le-gap |title=La frégate Surcouf part pour un déploiement de longue durée dans le GAP |work=Mer et Marine |language=fr |date=21 April 2022 |access-date=29 April 2022 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> From 26 until 30 May 2022, ''Surcouf'' trained with the [[Kuwait Naval Force]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bahtić |first1=Fatima |title=French frigate Surcouf trains with Kuwaiti Navy |url=https://www.navaltoday.com/2022/06/10/french-frigate-surcouf-trains-with-kuwaiti-navy/ |access-date=22 September 2022 |publisher=Naval Today |date=10 June 2022}}</ref>

In October 2023 ''Surcouf'' was deployed to the Eastern Mediterranean during the [[Gaza war]], joining the helicopter assault ship ''Tonnerre'' and the frigate {{ship|French frigate|Alsace||2}} which were also deployed to the region.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/10/france-deploys-one-lhd-two-frigates-to-the-eastern-mediterranean/ |title=France Deploys One LHD, Two Frigates To The Eastern Mediterranean  |publisher=Naval News |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier |date=26 October 2023 |access-date=27 October 2023}}</ref>

''Surcouf'' had been scheduled to undergo a modest structural and technical upgrade (with the elderly Crotale SAM to be removed from the vessel) and, given somewhat reduced general purpose capability, be re-assigned to offshore patrol duties prior to her planned withdrawal from service in 2027.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/renovation-des-la-fayette-la-premiere-livree-la-seconde-entre-en-chantier|title = Rénovation des la Fayette : La première frégate livrée, la seconde en chantier|date = 21 October 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/marine-nationale-les-programmes-qui-vont-faconner-la-future-flotte-francaise|title=Marine nationale : les programmes qui vont façonner la future flotte française|date=1 February 2021|website=Mer et Marine}}</ref> However, subsequently it was decided to retain the ship in the frigate role despite her not having received a mid-life upgrade.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/defense/le-reclassement-de-certaines-la-fayette-en-patrouilleurs-n-est-plus-a-l-ordre-du-jour |title=Le reclassement de certaines La Fayette en patrouilleurs n’est plus à l’ordre du jour |work=Mer et Marine |language=fr |last=Groizealeau |first=Vincent |date=17 April 2024 |access-date=17 April 2024 |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
{{commons category|position=left|Surcouf (F711)}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20081211021557/http://www.netmarine.net/bat/flf/surcouf/index.htm Frégate ''Surcouf'']

{{La Fayette class frigate}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Surcouf, French frigate}}
[[Category:La Fayette-class frigates]]
[[Category:Frigates of France]]
[[Category:1993 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built in France]]