D'Estienne D'Orves Class

The Lieutenant de Vaisseau Lavallée is a French D'Estienne D'Orves (Type A 69) class frigate of 950 tons displacement launched in 1979. She is crewed by 83 ratings and 7 officers and has a top speed of 23 knots and a range of 7200 km at 15 knots.

The A69 type Avisos are small warships mainly designed for coastal anti-submarine defence, but are also available for high sea escort missions.  Built on a simple and robust design, they have an economical and reliable propulsion system which allows them to be used for overseas presence missions. The A69 design was based in the project of the João Coutinho class corvettes of the Portuguese Navy.

Ships in the class

A total of 17 ships of this class were built and named after the heroes of the Second World War. Eight of these ships have since been decommissioned and six of them were sold to the Turkish Navy where they were redesignated as the B Class corvette.

The nine ships remaining in French service will have their heavy weapons removed and be reclassified as oceanic patrol ships. They will replace the P400 class patrol vessels in this role.

Decommissioned or transferred (To Turkey)

F781 D'Estienne d'Orves (decommissioned in 1999, now TCG Beykoz)

F782 Amyot d'Inville (decommissioned in 1999, now TCG Bartin)

F783 Drogou (decommissioned in 2000, now TCG Bodrum)

F784 Détroyat (decommissioned in 1997)

F785 Jean Moulin (decommissioned in 1999)

F786 Quartier-Maître Anquetil (decommissioned in 2000, now TCG Bandirma)

F787 Commandant de Pimodan (decommissioned in 2000, now TCG Bozcaada)

F788 Second-Maître Le Bihan (decommissioned in 2002, now TCG Bafra)

In service in the French Navy

F789 Lieutenant de vaisseau Le Hénaff

F790 Lieutenant de vaisseau Lavallée

F791 Commandant L'Herminier

F792 Premier-Maître L'Her

F793 Commandant Blaison

F794 Enseigne de vaisseau Jacoubet

F795 Commandant Ducuing

F796 Commandant Birot

F797 Commandant Bouan

Lieutenant de Vaisseau Lavallée is seen here departing Leith 28^th March 2012.  The Forth Ports tugs  Seal Carr (bow) and Oxcar (stern) were helping out.