FS Auvergne (D654)

Guided-Missile Frigate

France | 2018

"FS Auvergne D654 was commissioned into service with the French fleet in 2018 and remains in active service with the force as of this writing."

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 11/11/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

Image from the U.S. Dod DVIDS imagery database; Public Release.

FS Auvergne (D654) is the product of the FREMM multi-purpose frigate program between the French and Italian navies. The fifth of the French batch - named the Aquitane-class after lead ship Aquitane (D650), FS Auvergne was laid down in 2012 by builder DCNS (Lorient), launched in September of 2015, and formally commissioned into French Navy service in February of 2018. Currently homeporting out of Toulon, the vessel will shift to Brest in 2022.

The FREMM program originally intended to see France receive 17 total vessels - though, due to budget constraints, this was later reduced to the 8 currently in service with the French Navy. The French batch is a mix of six anti-submarine forms along with a pair of air-defense models.

The 6,000 ton warship is of all-modern design, showcasing the least amount of structural protrusions as possible and while displaying clean lines with an eye towards stealth. The turreted deck gun along with Vertical Launch Systems (VLSs) takes up the forecastle and the bridge section towers just aft. The main mast is at midships and is of an enclosed design, followed by the enclosed low-profile smoke funnels. The hangar section then leads out to the unobstructed helipad over the stern.

Dimensions include a running length of 466 feet, a beam of 65 feet, and a draught down to 16 feet. Power is through an MTU Series 4000 turbine arrangement designed around the CODLOG concept (COmbined Diesel-eLectric-Or-Gas) to maximize fuel efficiency at cruising and high speeds. Maximum speed in ideal conditions can reach 27 knots while ranging out to 6,000 nautical miles. Cruising is typically done at 15 knots for maximum reach.

The warship carries a crew complement of approximately 145 personnel and is outfitted with the Herakles multi-purpose Passive, Electronically-Scanned Array (PESA) radar, the CAPTAS-4 towed sonar array, and the UMS 4110 CL series hull-mounted sonar array.

Armament is a mix of ballistic, missile, and torpedo weaponry. At the forecastle is a single 76mm Super Rapid turreted gun system with twin 16-cell SYLVER VLSs housing Aster 15 Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) and MdCN land-attack cruise missiles. There are 3 x 20mm Narwhal Remote Weapon Systems (RWSs) for close-in defense and 2 x 4-cell MM.40 EXOCET Block 3/3c anti-ship missile launchers. Rounding out the armament suite are 2 x B-515 series twin-tubed torpedo launchers supporting the MU90 torpedo family. Beyond this is an NHIndustires NH90 navy helicopter supported from the flight deck over the stern. This rotorcraft can support multi-mission sets including over-the-horizon spotting work, anti-submarine/anti-ship operations, Search and Rescue (SAR) sorties, and general at-sea resupply functions.

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November 2021 - FS Auvergne has been sent to the Eastern Mediterranean as a show of French strength in the theater. The warship will remain on-station until January 2022.

Power & Performance
Those special qualities that separate one sea-going vessel design from another. Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for FS Auvergne (D654).

COmbined Diesel-eLectric-Or-Gas (CODLOG): MTU Series 4000 turbines driving 2 x Shafts astern.
Propulsion

27.0 kts
31.1 mph
Surface Speed

5,996 nm
6,900 miles | 11,104 km
Range

Structure
The bow-to-stern, port-to-starboard physical qualities of FS Auvergne (D654).

145
Personnel
Complement

466.0 ft
142.04 meters
O/A Length

65.0 ft
19.81 meters
Beam

16.0 ft
4.88 meters
Draught

6,000
tons
Displacement

Armament
Available supported armament and special-mission equipment featured in the design of FS Auvergne (D654).

1 x 76mm Super Rapid turreted deck gun.
1 x 16-cell SYLVER A43 Vertical Launch System (VLS) housing Aster 15 series Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs).
1 x 16-cell SYLVER A70 VLS housing MdCN land-attack cruise missiles.
2 x 4-cell MM.40 EXOCET Block 3/3c anti-ship missiles.
2 x B-515 twin torpedo launchers (MU90 torpedo family).
3 x 20mm Narwhal Remote Weapon Systems (RWSs).

Air Arm
Available supported fixed-wing / rotary-wing aircraft featured in the design of FS Auvergne (D654).

1 x NHIndustries NH.90 navy helicopter operated from the stern helipad/hangar deck area.

Ships-in-Class (8)
Notable series variants as part of the FS Auvergne (D654) family line as relating to the Aquitane-class group.

FS Aquitane (D650); FS Normandie (D651); FS Provence (D652); FS Languedoc (D653); FS Auvergne (D654); FS Bretagne (D655); FS Alsace (D656); FS Lorraine (D657)

Operators
Global operator(s) of the FS Auvergne (D654). Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national naval warfare listing.

Shipbuilder(s): DCNS - France

[ France ]

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Image from the U.S. Dod DVIDS imagery database; Public Release.

Mission Roles
Some designs are single-minded in their approach while others offer a more versatile solution to seaborne requirements.

BLUE WATER SERVICE

OFFSHORE BOMBARDMENT

LAND-ATTACK

MARITIME PATROL

AIRSPACE DENIAL

FLEET SUPPORT

SHIP-TO-SHORE

Recognition
Some designs stand the test of time while others are doomed to never advance beyond the drawing board; let history be their judge.

Military lapel ribbon representing modern aircraft

Going Further...
FS Auvergne (D654) Guided-Missile Frigate appears in the following collections:

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