French destroyer Jauréguiberry (D637)

For other ships with the same name, see French ship Jauréguiberry.

History
France
Name	Jauréguiberry
Namesake	Bernard Jauréguiberry
Laid down	September 1954
Launched	5 November 1955
Commissioned	15 July 1958
Decommissioned	16 September 1977
Stricken	30 May 1986
Homeport	Brest
Identification	D 637
Fate	Sunk as the target ship Q580 for the experimentation of the Exocet missile.
General characteristics
Class and type	T 53-class destroyer
Displacement	2,750 tons standard 3,740 tons full load
Length	128.6 m (422 ft)
Beam	12.7 m (42 ft)
Draught	5.4 m (18 ft)
Propulsion	2 shaft geared turbines, 4 boilers, 63,000 hp (46,979 kW)
Speed	34 knots (63 km/h; 39 mph)
Range	5,000 nmi (9,300 km; 5,800 mi) at 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph)
Complement	347
Armament	6 × 127 mm guns (3 twin turrets) 6 × 57 mm guns (3 twin turrets) 4 × 20 mm guns (4 × 1) 12 × 550 mm torpedo tubes (4 × 3)

The fleet escort Jauréguiberry was a French destroyer of the T 53 class, designed for anti-air and (to a lesser extent) anti-submarine roles. She was the second French Navy vessel to bear the name.

Laid down in September 1954, the vessel was launched on 5 November 1955. Jauréguiberry was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 15 July 1958 with the identification number D 637.

Service history

In 1966 and 1968, she was involved in two nuclear tests with "Force Alfa", and a third one in 1970 with the cruiser De Grasse, in the Pacific Ocean. In 1974, she achieved a long mission with the frigate Duquesne.

In the beginning of 1977, a few months before being decommissioned, she was used for the film "Le Crabe-Tambour" by Pierre Schoendoerffer. The ship was decommissioned 16 September 1977, its hull receiving No. Q580. It was then used as a target ship for testing an ARMAT anti-radar missile on 16 June 1982.

It was sunk on 30 May 1986 as a target during tests to test the Exocet MM40 missile.

Sources and references

• (in French) Escorteur d'Escadre Jauréguiberry, netmarine.net