LPD OURAGAN L 9021

LPD ORAGE L 9022

1/ OURAGAN

Its construction began on June 1962, was launched at DCN Brest naval shipyard on November 9th 1963 and finally was commissioned on June 1st 1965. At present, it is based at NS Toulon. The Ouragan was upgraded and equipped with two Simbad systems and a Syracuse 2 system. The ship will be layed up in 2000.

2/ ORAGE

The construction of the ship began on June 1966, it was launched on April 22nd 1967 and was commissioned on April 1st 1968. It was based at Mururoa naval station (the base where French nuclear weapons where tested during thirty years). It is equipped with specific equipment for nuclear test such as NBC (Nuclear Bacteriological and Chemical weapons) protection.

Finally, it came back to France, at NS Toulon. In 1995-1996 the ship received :

• Two Simbad systems and two 30 AA guns instead of 40 AA guns.
• A Syracuse 2 communications system.

The ship will be layed up in 2003.

Both ships operate within the Naval Action Force based at Toulon, with the LPD Foudre & Siroco. They will be replaced by two brand-new ships, the Mistral and the Tonnerre in early of the next century.

Specifications	(US)	(FR)
Dimensions	488. 845 ft (length) x 70. 5381ft (width)	149 m (length) x 21. 50 m (width)
Range	9 000 nm @ 15 kts	9 000 nm @ 15 kts
Speed	17 knots	17 knots
Horsepower	8 600 hp (L 9021)/ 9 400 hp (L 9022)	6 325 kW (L 9021)/ 6 910 kW (L 9022)
Washington displacement	5 965 t	5 965 t
Displacement	8 500 t	8 500 t

1/ Aeronautical installations and carrier air wing

The ships can accommodate two heavy-lift SA 321 G Super-Frelon or four SA 330 Puma. These carriers are not equipped with a hangar.

2/ Amphibious capacities

Two LCTs (eight tanks each one) or eight LCMs can be accommodated by each ship. On the flight deck 1,500 t of vehicles can be parked (trucks, jeeps, tanks).

The ships have a well-dock (120 x 14 m) for landing craft.

3/ Electronic equipment and weapons

Radars :

• Air/ surface search - 2 Racal-Decca DRBN-34s.

Miscellaneous :

• Fire control - 2 CT DIBC-2As.

Communications :

• Syracuse 2.
• Inmarsat.

The ships are equipped for DCA by two Simbad systems (derived from the MISTRAL) and their self-defence by two 40 mm guns (Ouragan), two 30 mm Breda-Mauser guns (Orage) and four 12,7 mm guns.

4/ Machinery and crew

Machinery :

• 2 SEMT-Pielstick 12 PC 2V diesel engines (Ouragan).
• 2 SEMT-Pielstick 12 PC 2.1 V400 diesel engines (Orage).
• 2 propellers.

Crew :

• 12 officers.
• 78 petty officers.
• 115 sailors.

Passengers :

• 14 officers.
• 356/ 470 marines-soldiers.