French destroyer Surcouf (D621)

Surcouf in 1970, a few months before her accident. The forward 57 mm turret and the aft torpedo launchers had made way for an enlarged bridge and staff housing quarters when she was transformed into a flotilla leader ship.
History
France
Name:	Surcouf
Namesake:	Robert Surcouf
Laid down:	February 1951
Launched:	October 1953
Commissioned:	1955
Decommissioned:	5 May 1972
Homeport:	Brest and later Toulon
Identification:	D621
Fate:	Sunk as target
General characteristics
Class and type:	T 47-class destroyer
Displacement:	2,750 tons standard 3,740 tons full load
Length:	128.62 m (422.0 ft)
Beam:	12.7 m (42 ft)
Draught:	5.4 m (18 ft)
Installed power:	63,000 shp (47,000 kW)
Propulsion:	Parsons geared steam turbines 2 shafts 4 fuel boilers
Speed:	34 kn (63 km/h)
Range:	5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement:	347
Armament:	6 × 127 mm (5 in) guns (3 × 2) 6 × 57mm/60 modèle 1951 guns (3 twin turrets) 4 × 20 mm (0.79 in) guns (4 × 1) 6 × 550 mm (22 in) short-tubes for anti-submarine torpedo (2 × 3) 6 × 550 mm (22 in) long-tubes for dual purpose : anti-ship and anti-submarine torpedo (2 × 3)

Surcouf was a T 47-class destroyer of the French Navy. She was the fourth French ship named in honour of Robert Surcouf.

Laid down in February 1951 at Lorient and launched in October 1953, Surcouf was commissioned into the French Navy in 1955. She was the first of twelve T 47-class destroyers. With a standard displacement of 2,750 tons and a length of 128.6 metres (421.9 ft), the ship had a beam of 12.7 metres (41.7 ft) and a draught of 5.4 metres (17.7 ft). Her armament consisted of six 127 mm (5 in) guns which were mounted in three twin turrets, six 57 mm (2.2 in) guns in twin mounts and four single-mounted 20 mm (0.79 in) guns. There were four banks of three 550 mm (22 in) torpedo tubes, capable of launching both anti-submarine homing and anti-ship torpedoes. Surcouf had two shafts, geared turbines, and four boilers, which were capable of producing 63,000 horsepower (47,000 kW) and a top speed of 34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph) (71,725 shp (53,485 kW) and 38 knots (70 km/h; 44 mph) during trials). At 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph), Surcouf had a range of 5,000 nautical miles (9,300 km; 5,800 mi). The ship had a complement of 347 personnel.

In the early 1960s, Surcouf was converted to a command ship to become a flotilla leader. In order to install an operations centre and housings for an admiral and his staff, the forward 57 mm mount was removed (extending forward the bridge) and the two aft torpedo platforms were removed so that housing quarters could be constructed. The overhaul was conducted the arsenal of Brest between 11 June 1960 (commencement of work) and 4 October 1961 (end of the tests).