Escorteur

Destroyer escortUSSKyne(Cannonclass)

The French termEscorteur(Escort Ship) appeared during theSecond World Warto designate awarship,of a medium or lightdisplacement,whose mission was to protect ocean convoys and naval squadrons from attacks bysubmarines.This role was in general handled by adestroyer escortsuch as theBuckleyandCannonclassesbuilt in theUnited States,or aHunt-classdestroyerbuilt by the United Kingdom, or even aRiver classbuilt by the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia. TheImperial Japanese Navyused the designationkaibokanfor this type of ship.

The escorteurs of the French Navy

Main article:List of Escorteurs of the French Navy

Frigate of theFNFLEscarmouche
(River-class frigate)

In the immediate aftermath of the war, to fulfill the task of naval escorts, theFrench Navywas limited to a fleet oftorpilleurandcontre-torpilleur(otherwise known as destroyers), along with a number ofavisos.They were later joined by several naval ships of German and Italian origin awarded aswar reparations,and several escortbâtimentsoriginated from the United Kingdom and the United States, all under different designations:

• Destroyer escortof 1,500 tons, constructed in theUnited States;
• Frigateof 1,200 tons,River-classfrigate, constructed in theUnited Kingdom;
• Corvettesof 600 tons,Flower-classcorvette, constructed in the United Kingdom;
• Coastal patrol boats of 400 tons,PC-461-classsubmarine chaserconstructed in the United States.

Two ex-Italian lightcruisers,ChâteaurenaultandGuichen,would bear their designation ofescorteur d'escadre(Squadron Escorteur) from 1955 until their disarmament in 1962 and 1963.

Construction of a new fleet

During the years 1950–1960, France reconstituted the navy with the assistance of the United States which contributed most of the rebuilding program. Following certain hesitations, the term« escorteur »was finally chosen for this new type of warship, instead of the traditional« torpilleur »or« contre-torpilleur »,which were abandoned.

The four families of escorteurs

• 18 Squadron Escorteurs:12T 47 class,5T 53 class,1 T 56 class:bâtimentsof 3,000 tons, length 128 to 132 metres (420 to 433 ft), vocation anti-ship, anti-submarine, anti-aerial, picket radar flotilla navigation. They formed until the end of 1980s, the backbone forces ofhigh-seasof the French Navy. ForNATO,those were destroyers.
• 18 Rapid Escorteurs:Type E50andType E52;lighterbâtimentsof 1,500 t, length 99 metres (325 ft), vocation anti-submarine, types E50, E52A, E52B. For NATO, those were frigates.
• 9 Aviso Escorteurs:Commandant Rivièreclass;bâtimentsof 2,100 t, length 103 metres (338 ft), vocation anti-submarine and anti-ship. For NATO, those were frigates.
• 14 Coastal Escorteurs:( 3Le Fougeuxclass and 11L'Adroitclass;bâtimentsof 400 t, 52 metres (171 ft) length. For NATO, those were patrol boats and submarine chasers.

• 
  Squadron escorteur
  Surcouf
• 
  Rapid escorteur
  Le Bourguignon
• 
  Aviso escorteur
  Commandant Bourdais
• 
  coastal escorteur
  Le Fringant

The designation of« escorteur »is no longer used in the French Navy. The designation has been replaced by that of frigate, aviso or patrol boat.

See also

• Fusiliers Marins
• List of active French Navy ships
• List of submarines of France
• List of ships of the line of France
• List of Escorteurs of the French Navy

References

Sources

• Jean Moulin, Rober Dumas, Les Escorteurs d'escadre, Marines éditions Nantes, 1997ISBN2-909675297