Commandant Rivière-class frigate
Victor Schœlcher (F 725) was a Commandant Rivière-class frigate of French Navy. She was later transferred to National Navy of Uruguay in 1988 and given the name General Artigas. The ship was scrapped in 2005.
Development and design
The main gun armament of the Commandant Rivière class consisted of three of the new French 100-millimetre (4 in) guns, with a single turret located forward and two turrets aft.[1][2] These water-cooled automatic dual-purpose guns could fire a 13.5-kilogram (30 lb) shell at an effective range of 12,000 metres (39,000 ft) against surface targets and 6,000 m (20,000 ft) against aircraft at a rate of 60 rounds per minute.[3] A quadruple 305 mm (12 in) anti-submarine mortar was fitted in 'B' position, aft of the forward gun and in front of the ship's superstructure,[1] capable of firing a 230 kg (510 lb) depth charge to 3,000 m (9,800 ft) or in the shore bombardment role, a 100 kg (220 lb) projectile to 6,000 m (20,000 ft).[4] Two triple torpedo tubes were fitted for anti-submarine torpedoes, while the ship's armament was completed by two 30 mm (1.2 in) Hotchkiss HS-30 cannon.[1] The ship had accommodation for an 80-man commando detachment with two fast landing boats, each capable of landing 25 personnel.[5]
Construction and career
Victor Schœlcher was laid down in October 1957 and launched on 11 October 1958 at Arsenal de Lorient in Lorient. The vessel was commissioned on 4 December 1962.
Victor Schœlcher operated among other places with the Indian Navy and collaborated in the evacuation of the Diego Suarez base in the independence of Madagascar. She helped in Cyclone Andry in 1983 by rescuing refugees in the Pacific.
The frigate was sold to Uruguay in 1988 and given the new name General Artigas. The ship remained in service until 27 April 2005.[6]
References
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