French Navy AAW system question

[news.kornet.net]

Does anybody have an artist's impression or photo montage of the Cassard
class DDG with ASTER missile system? When was the plan to modernize the
Cassard class with ASTER canceled?

A very old article in the October 1972 issue of Navy International indicated
that the AA version of F70, which became the Cassard class, was to have
Masurca SAM, not the US SM-1 MR recycled from the old T47 DDGs.

Thanks in advance

[Starshiy Nemo]

>
>
>
Due to the size of the Masurca system, Cassard ships are to small to be
quiped with.
And I never heard about a plan to modernize them with Aster. But maybe I
missed something.

[KDR]

>From Jane's Fighting Ships 1990-91.

-----

CLASS: 1 + 1 CASSARD CLASS (TYPE F 70 (A/A))

PROGRAMMES: On the same hull as the F 70 (A/S) a very different
armament and propulsion system has been introduced. Funds for the first
ship allotted in 1978 estimates, for the second in 1979 estimates
(ordered 27 September 1979), and for the third and fourth in 1983
estimates. Third and fourth ships orered 27 February 1984, but
indefinitely postponed. The building programme has been considerably
slowed down by finance problems and doubts about the increasingly
obsolescent Standard SM-1 missile system, and the SM-2 is reported as
being too expensive.

Service lives: First, 2013; second, 2015. Re-rated F 70 (ex-C 70) on 6
June 1988, officially 'fregates anti-aeriennes (FAA)'.

STRUCTURE: A prominent dome will cover the DRBJ-11B radar when it is
fitted. Samahe 210 helicopter handling system. It is reported that both
ships are to be fitted with Aster SAM during their first refits.

[KDR]

Regarding the size of the Masurca system, do you mean the whole weapon
system including the massive DRBI-23 3D radar installed on the Suffren
class?

The cruiser Colbert's Masurca system dispensed with the DRBI-23 and I
suspect the smaller 3D radar (DRBV-13? DRBV-22?) of the C65 Aconit
could have been installed the C70 AA.

[Christophe Chazot]

"news.kornet.net" <human...@hanmail.net> a écrit dans le message news:
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> Does anybody have an artist's impression or photo montage of the Cassard
> class DDG with ASTER missile system? When was the plan to modernize the
> Cassard class with ASTER canceled?

This modernization has never been pushed very far : the hull is too small
and too shallow, the ship is too old, so the idea never passed the drawing
board.

>
> A very old article in the October 1972 issue of Navy International
indicated
> that the AA version of F70, which became the Cassard class, was to have
> Masurca SAM, not the US SM-1 MR recycled from the old T47 DDGs.
>
> Thanks in advance
>

That was the idea in the White Paper of 1970, but it was dropped when the
whole MASURCA development program was canceled because it was not worth for
six or seven ships. The refurbished SM1 was prefered after some
consideration had been given to SM2 and eventually cancelled for the same
reason as above (ship too small).

Yours,
Christophe

[KDR]

Thanks a million for the reply.

> This modernization has never been pushed very far : the hull is too small
> and too shallow, the ship is too old, so the idea never passed the drawing
> board.

If carried out, was it to use DRBJ-11B with ASTER?
Or was ARABEL radar to be installed in place of two SPG-51 directors?

> That was the idea in the White Paper of 1970, but it was dropped when the
> whole MASURCA development program was canceled because it was not worth for
> six or seven ships. The refurbished SM1 was prefered after some
> consideration had been given to SM2 and eventually cancelled for the same
> reason as above (ship too small).

That's strange. SM-2 is not that larger than SM-1 and can be fired from
the same Mk13 launcher.

BTW, do you know what engagement scheduler does the Cassard class use?
SM-1/Tartar ships generally use US WDS Mk13 while Dutch L-frigates have
Dutch-made Guided Missile Control System (GMCS).