1964    

FR Rhin class



Support Ship

ships



Less of a tightly controlled class, more a collection of similarly specified support vessels with minor variations in almost every characteristic for slightly different roles.

2320T standard in Garonne and Loire. SEMT-Pielstick 16PA2V Diesels in Rhin and Rhone, 12PA4 in Rance, Loire and Garonne. Only 1x 40mm gun in Garonne, none in Rance. Garonne had no flight deck, Loire, Rhin and Rance all had hangars, but Rance could carry 3x Alouette III.



  Specifications


145crew
2075light (tn)
2445full load (tn)
101.10length (m)
13.10beam (m)
3.70draught (m)
13000range (nm)
16.50max speed (knots)

2Naval Engine diesel - SEMT Pielstick

3Naval Gun single 40 mm

helicopter   Aircraft


Typical Max
Landing platform only. No hangar
FR French Navy SNIA Alouette III 13









  Shipyards


FR DCNS - Lorient - 4



  List of Ships


Filter:     Hide Transfers     Hide derivatives

--1997FRFrench NavyA618BSS Rance
1964--FRFrench NavyA621BSL RhinFBHV
1964--FRFrench NavyA622BSM Rhone
1967--FRFrench NavyA615BMS LoireFBLO - LO


4 units



  Events


1962-feb-23Laid downLaid down FR A622 BSM Rhone
1962-dec-08LaunchedLaunched FR A622 BSM Rhone
1964-mar-01CommissionedCommissioned FR A621 BSL Rhin
1964-aug-14Laid downLaid down FR A618 BSS Rance
1964-dec-01CommissionedCommissioned FR A622 BSM Rhone as submarine support ship.
1965-may-05LaunchedLaunched FR A618 BSS Rance
1965-jul-09Laid downLaid down FR A615 BMS Loire
1966-feb-05CommissionedCommissioned FR A618 BSS Rance
1966-oct-01LaunchedLaunched FR A615 BMS Loire
1967-oct-10CommissionedCommissioned FR A615 BMS Loire The minesweeper support ship was fitted with a hangar.
1976DeploymentDeployment FR A618 BSS Rance by 1976, primary assignment was as a Hospital ship (bâtiment de soutien santé, BSS).
1981-marDeploymentDeployment FR A615 BMS Loire operating from Djibouti, with Jules Verne.
1981-aug-27AircraftAircraft FR A615 BMS Loire operating with ALAT Alouette III 1272 / KBE, off Djibouti.
1982-may-13Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Karachi, until 26 May.
1984-mar-06Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Dakar, until 9 Apr.
1984-aug-26Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Port Said.
1984-aug-28Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Hurghada Naval Base, until 30 Aug.
1985-mar-30RefitRefit FR A615 BMS Loire improvements to underwater detection gear, at Lorient untl 29 Aug.
1987-augDeploymentDeployment FR A621 BSL Rhin to Djibouti in support of the Clemenceau Carrier Group, until Sep.
1987-oct-03DeploymentDeployment FR A615 BMS Loire frequently visited during assignment to Operation Prometheus, ensuring safe passage of French commercial shipping.
1991-aug-08Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Palma, until 12 Aug.
1997-feb-28DecommissionedDecommissioned FR A618 BSS Rance struck and became Q732 on 30 May 1997.
1997-may-12DecommissionedDecommissioned FR A622 BSM Rhone
1997-nov-07Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Cardiff, until 10 Nov.
1997-nov-12Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Campbeltown, until 13 Nov.
1998-apr-06RefitRefit FR A615 BMS Loire major maintenance period at Lorient, until early Jul.
1999-mar-19Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Istanbul, with Jeanne d Arc and Dugay-Trouin until 22 Mar.
1999-jun-18Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Dublin with NATO minesweeping force, until 21 Jun.
2003-dec-06Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Dublin, at Custom House Quay.
2007 FR A618 BSS Rance serving as a breakwater at Saint-Mandrier.
2009-may-08Port VisitPort Visit FR A615 BMS Loire visited Malta.
2016-apr-11 FR A618 BSS Rance hull moved to Toulon harbour.
2019-mayFate: scrappedFate: scrapped FR A618 BSS Rance towed from Toulon to Galloo Shipyard in Ghent for scrapping.
2019-may-18Fate: scrappedFate: scrapped FR A622 BSM Rhone arrived at Galloo shipyard in Ghent, after being towed from Lorient, for scrapping.
2020-jul-04Fate: scrappedFate: scrapped FR A615 BMS Loire arrived at Galoo yard, Ghent for scrapping.









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