Editing La Fayette-class frigate (section)

{{Short description|French general purpose stealth frigates}}
{{More footnotes|date=September 2010}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image=FS Surcouf.jpg
|Ship caption=The French frigate {{ship|French frigate|Surcouf|F711|2}}
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''La Fayette'' class
|Designer=[[Naval Group|DCNS]]
|Builders=DNCS
|Operators=*{{navy|France}}
* {{navy|Saudi Arabia}}
* {{navy|Republic of China}} (Taiwan)
* {{navy|Singapore}}
|Class before={{sclass|Floréal|frigate|4}}
|Class after = ''[[Frégate de Défense et d'Intervention]]''
|Subclasses=*''Al Riyadh'' class (Saudi Arabia)
* {{sclass|Formidable|frigate|4}} (Singapore)
* ''Kang Ding'' class (Republic of China (Taiwan))
|Cost=
|Built range=
|In service range=
|In commission range=1996–present
|Total ships building=
|Total ships planned=
|Total ships completed=20
|Total ships cancelled=
|Total ships active=20
|Total ships laid up=
|Total ships lost=
|Total ships retired=
|Total ships preserved=
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Ship type=General purpose [[frigate]]
|Ship displacement=* {{cvt|3,200|t|LT ST|lk=on}}
* {{cvt|3,800|t|LT ST}} fully loaded
|Ship length={{convert|125|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|15.4|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship height=
|Ship draught={{convert|4.1|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=
|Ship propulsion=4 diesel [[SEMT Pielstick]] 12PA6V280 STC2, {{convert|21000|hp|kW|abbr=on}}
|Ship speed={{convert|25|kn|lk=in|abbr=on}}
|Ship range=*{{convert|4000|nmi|lk=in|abbr=on}} at {{convert|15|kn}}
* {{convert|9000|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|12|kn}}
|Ship endurance=50 days of food
|Ship boats=2 × ETN boats
|Ship capacity={{cvt|350|t|LT ST}} of fuel, {{cvt|80|m3}} of kerosene, {{cvt|60|t|LT ST}} of potable water
|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> around 6 additional personnel on ''Courbet'', ''La Fayette'' and ''Aconit'' post-upgrade<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2023/02/french-mission-jeanne-darc-2023-to-sail-across-indo-pacific/ |title=French Mission Jeanne D'Arc 2023 To Sail Across Indo-Pacific |date=3 February 2023|website=Naval News |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier}}</ref>
|Ship sensors=*1 × DRBN34 navigation radar
* 1 × DRBN34 landing radar
* 1 × Air/Surface DRBV 15C sentry radar
* 1 × Thales TAVITAC combat management system (fitted to ''Surcouf'' and ''Guépratte'')
*1 × SENIT FLF combat management system (replaced previous Thales TAVITAC CMS on ''La Fayette'', ''Courbet'' and ''Aconit'')<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/10/first-upgraded-la-fayette-class-frigate/ | title=First Upgraded la Fayette-class Frigate back into the French Fleet | date=18 October 2021 }}</ref>
* 1 × firing control radar for the 100 mm gun
* 1 × CN2 firing control radar
* 1 × Saïgon ARBG 1 radio interceptor
* 1 × ARBR 21 radar interceptor
* 2 × Dagaie Mk2 AMGL-1C [[Chaff (countermeasure)|chaff]] launcher
* CANTO anti-torpedo countermeasures (fitted to ''La Fayette'' in 2021-22 and ''Aconit'' in 2023; to be fitted to ''Courbet'' in due course)<ref name="navalnews.com">{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2021/07/video-french-navys-la-fayette-class-frigate-mid-life-update/ |title=Video: French Navy's La Fayette-Class Frigate Mid-Life Update |work=Naval News |last=Manaranche |first=Martin |date=31 July 2021 |access-date=31 August 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.navalnews.com/naval-news/2019/07/naval-group-ready-to-produce-canto-anti-torpedo-system-in-australia/ |title=Naval Group Ready To Produce CANTO Anti-Torpedo System In Australia |work=Naval News |last=Vavasseur |first=Xavier |date=18 July 2019 |access-date=31 August 2021 }}</ref>
* 1 × AN/[[SLQ-25 Nixie]] tugged noise maker
* 1 × [[Prairie-Masker]] noise reduction system
* 1 × Integrated Shipboard Communication System ISCS ([[SNTI]] 120 ch.)
* 1 × SEAO/OPSMER Naval command support system
* 1 × Syracuse II satellite transmission system
* 1 × Inmarsat navigation system
* 1 × BlueWatcher sonar (''Surcouf'' only)<ref name=nnysmal>{{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 |last=Smaldore |first=Yannick |work=navalnews.com |date=23 October 2020 |access-date=7 December 2020}}</ref>
* 1 × KingKlip Mk 2 hull-mounted sonar (fitted to ''Courbet'', ''La Fayette'' and ''Aconit'')
|Ship EW=
|Ship armament=
* ''Guns;''
* 1 × [[French 100 mm naval gun|100&nbsp;mm TR automatic gun]]
* 2 × [[20 mm modèle F2 gun]]s
* ''Anti-ship;''
* 8 × [[Exocet]] MM40 block II [[anti-ship missile]]s (upgraded to capacity for Block 3c variant on ''Courbet'', ''La Fayette'' and ''Aconit'')<ref name=flf>{{cite web |url=https://www.meretmarine.com/fr/content/premiere-flf-renovee-la-fregate-courbet-remise-leau |title=Première FLF rénovée, la frégate Courbet remise à l'eau |work=Mer et Marine |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |date=15 April 2021 |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=French |url-access=subscription}}</ref>
* ''CIWS;''
* 1 × [[Crotale CN2]] [[CIWS]] (fitted on ''Surcouf'' and ''Guépratte'')
* 2 × 6 Sadral launchers with [[Mistral (missile)#Naval system|Mistral Mk 3 SAM/SSM]] (replaced Crotale on ''Courbet'', ''La Fayette'' and ''Aconit'')
* 2 x 2 manually operated Simbad/Mistral (reported fit to ''Surcouf'' 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 aircraft=1 × helicopter ([[Eurocopter Panther|Panther]] or [[NH90]])
|Ship aircraft facilities=
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''''La Fayette'' class''' (also known as '''FL-3000''' for "''Frégate Légère de 3,000 tonnes''", or '''FLF''' for ''Frégate Légère Furtive'') is a [[Ship class|class]] of general purpose [[frigate]]s built by [[DCNS (company)|DCNS]] in the 1980s and 1990s, operated by the [[French Navy]] and three other navies. Derivatives of the type are in service in the navies of [[Saudi Arabia]], [[Singapore]], and [[Taiwan]].

The ships were originally known as "stealth frigates" due to their unique [[Stealth ship|stealth]] design at the time. Their reduced [[radar cross section]] is achieved by a clean [[superstructure]] compared to conventional designs, angled sides and [[radar absorbent material]], a composite material of wood and glass fibre as hard as steel, light, and resistant to fire. Most modern combat ships built since the introduction of the ''La Fayette'' class have followed the same principles of stealth.

All information gathered by the onboard sensors is managed by the Information Processing System, the electronic brain of the operation centre of the ship. It is completed by an electronic command aid system.

The ships are designed to accommodate a {{convert|10|t|LT ST|adj=on|lk=on}} helicopter in the [[Eurocopter AS565 Panther|Panther]] or [[NHIndustries NH90|NH90]] range (though they are also capable of operating the [[Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon|Super Frelon]] and similar heavy helicopters). These helicopters can carry [[anti-ship missile]]s AM39 or AS15, and they can be launched during [[sea state]] five or six due to the Samahé helicopter handling system. France ordered five ships of the ''La Fayette'' class in 1988, the last of which entered service in 2001. In the French Navy, they will be incrementally superseded in "first-rank" functions by five ''[[frégates de taille intermédiaire]]'' (''FTI'', "intermediate size frigates") from 2024.<ref name=navyrecognitionMarch2021>{{cite web |url=https://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/2021/march/9901-france-accelerates-the-fdi-frigates-program.html |title=France accelerates the FDI frigates program |work=navyrecognition.com |access-date=26 April 2021 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2015-news/may-2015-navy-naval-forces-defense-industry-technology-maritime-security-global-news/2747-update-to-french-military-planning-law-means-new-capabilities-for-lafayette-class-frigates.html |title=Update to French Military Planning Law Means New Capabilities for Lafayette Class Frigates |website=navyrecognition.com |date=21 May 2015 |access-date=30 October 2015}}</ref><ref name=memFeb2021>{{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 |work=Mer et Marine |last=Groizeleau |first=Vincent |language=French |date=1 February 2021 |access-date=26 April 2021 }}</ref>