Profile french frigate Suffren class

The Suffren-class frigates are a series of guided-missile frigates of the French Navy, designed to protect naval forces against air, surface, and underwater threats, and provide limited fire support on land. They are the first French frigates specifically built to launch missiles.

Designed to escort the Clemenceau-class aircraft carriers, these frigates were initially designated as C 60 type guided-missile cruisers, later renamed Frégate Lance-Missiles (FLM). Their main armament consists of Masurca sea-to-air missiles, with a capacity of 48 missiles, controlled by a DRBI 23 radar. They also have long-range air surveillance radars, with an estimated detection range of 400 km, and 30 mm anti-aircraft guns.

For anti-submarine warfare, they are equipped with Malafon missiles and torpedoes, as well as hull-mounted and towed sonars. However, they do not carry helicopters.

Both ships underwent modernizations, including the installation of Exocet missiles between 1977 and 1979, replacing the anti-aircraft guns. From 1989 to 1991, improvements were made to the operations, detection, electronic warfare, and communications systems.

Both ships in the class are named after French admirals. Initially, three units were planned, but the budget for the third was used to purchase Vought F-8 Crusader interceptors for the aircraft carriers Clemenceau and Foch.