Profile french frigate Aconit D609

The Aconit is a former French Navy frigate built during the Cold War. She was in service from 1973 to 1997 and was the only ship of her class, called the C65. The name "Aconit" was taken from the old corvette of the same name which fought in the Free French Naval Forces during World War II.

Construction of the Aconit began in 1968 at the Lorient arsenal, and it was launched in 1970 before entering active service in 1973. This frigate was designed to cope with the growing power of submarines in the 1960s. She was equipped with innovative systems such as a DUBV43 active towed sonar and a Malafon torpedo carrier missile. However, its performance did not achieve the desired objectives, and the development of its propulsion system was long and difficult.

The C65 corvette program was discontinued after the construction of Aconit, and the French Navy rethought the design of ocean-going anti-submarine ships, resulting in the C67 (then F67) Tourville-class program.

Aconit was based at Brest from 1975, and in 1988 she was redesignated as a Type F65 frigate. It also changed its visual designator from F703 to D609. Scheduled to be decommissioned in 2004, she was withdrawn from service prematurely as part of a fleet reduction plan in 1997.

During her active service, Aconite sailed 627,991 nautical miles under the command of seventeen captains. Its name became emblematic in the French Navy and was taken up by another La Fayette-type frigate.

After its deactivation, the hull of the Aconit was used as a breakwater at the Lanvéoc Naval School until 2014, when it was prepared for dismantling at the Brest arsenal. In November 2014, it was transferred to the Landévennec cemetery for its final dismantling in Belgium in November 2018.

Regarding its characteristics, the Aconite was equipped with advanced systems for anti-submarine warfare, including a DUBV43 active towed sonar and a Malafon torpedo carrier missile. Its propulsion was provided by a group of steam turbines with a single shaft line, a unique feature for a combat ship of the French Navy. The ship was also equipped with radars, including a DRBV-22A radar installed in the stern of the ship. Unlike other squadron ships, Aconite did not have helicopter facilities.

Finally, Aconite was decorated with the Fourragère in the colors of the cross of the Order of the Liberation from June 18, 1996.