''De Grasse'' is a F67 type large high-sea frigate of the French ''

Marine Nationale The French Navy (french: Marine nationale, lit=National Navy), informally , is the maritime arm of the French Armed Forces and one of the five military service branches of France. It is among the largest and most powerful naval forces in th ...

'' specialised in anti-submarine warfare, though she also has anti-air and anti-surface capabilities. She is named after the 18th century admiral

count Count (feminine: countess) is a historical title of nobility in certain European countries, varying in relative status, generally of middling rank in the hierarchy of nobility. Pine, L. G. ''Titles: How the King Became His Majesty''. New York: ...

François Joseph Paul de Grasse François Joseph Paul, Comte de Grasse, Marquis of Grasse-Tilly SMOM (13 September 1722 – 11 January 1788) was a career French officer who achieved the rank of admiral. He is best known for his command of the French fleet at the Battle of th ...

Service history

Between 1994 and 1996, ''De Grasse'' and her

sister A sister is a woman or a girl who shares one or more parents with another individual; a female sibling. The male counterpart is a brother. Although the term typically refers to a family, familial relationship, it is sometimes used endearingly to r ...

were refitted with the modern SLAMS anti-submarine system, an active Very Low Frequencies sonar. In April 2006, ''De Grasse'' lost her towed sonar array during an exercise in heavy seas. The incident was reported by the '' Canard Enchaîné''; an investigation was launched to ascertain responsibilities for the loss of the 3 million euro worth sonar array. Meanwhile, the spare sonar of the decommissioned was fitted on ''De Grasse''. ''De Grasse'' was decommissioned on 5 May 2013 and is now moored in the Penfeld.

Gallery

File:De_Grasse_2.jpg, The frigate ''De Grasse'' File:De_Grasse_3.jpg, Aft of the frigate ''De Grasse''; the towed sonar is clearly visible File:De_Grasse_4.jpg, The command bridge of ''De Grasse'' File:De_Grasse_5.jpg, The frigate ''De Grasse'', harboured in Portsmouth, for the International Festival of the Sea (25 August 2001). Fleet 5 nations

Sources and references

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Frégate ''De Grasse''
netmarine.net {{DEFAULTSORT:De Grasse Tourville-class frigates 1974 ships Frigates of France Ships built in France