NAVYPEDIA

Photo

Céphée  1980

Ships

Name	No	Yard No	Builder	Laid down	Launched	Comp	Fate
Sirius	M701		Arsenal de Cherbourg	12/1951	6.10.1952	9/1954	stricken 8.1971
Rigel	M702		Arsenal de Cherbourg		13.5.1953	1954	stricken 1974
Antarès	M703, 1976- P703		Arsenal de Cherbourg		21.1.1954	1954	patrol 1976, stricken 1981
Algol	M704		A C Augustin-Normand, Le Havre		15.4.1953	1954	stricken 1976
Aldébaran	M705		A C Augustin-Normand, Le Havre		27.6.1953	1955	stricken 1970
Régulus	M706		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		18.11.1952	1954	stricken 1974
Véga	M707, 1976- P707		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		14.1.1953	1954	patrol 1976, stricken 1981
Castor	M708		A C Augustin-Normand, Le Havre		19.11.1953	1955	stricken 1973
Pollux	M709		A C Augustin-Normand, Le Havre		16.7.1954	1955	stricken 1970
Pégase	M710		A C Augustin-Normand, Le Havre		21.6.1956	1956	stricken 1974
Croix du Sud	M734, 1969- P658		A C de la Seine-Maritime, Le Havre		13.6.1956	1956	patrol 1969, to Seychelles 1979 (Topaz)
Étoile Polaire	M735, 1973- P660		A C de la Seine-Maritime, Le Havre		5.3.1957	10/1958	patrol 1973, stricken 1981
Altaïr	M736, 1960- P656		Arsenal de Cherbourg		27.3.1954	4/1958	patrol 1960, stricken 1981
Capricorne	M737		Arsenal de Cherbourg		8.8.1956	7/1958	stricken 1988
Cassiopée	M740		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		16.11.1953	1954	stricken 1976
Eridan, 1977- Aldébaran	M741, 1976- P741		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		18.5.1954	1955	patrol 1976, stricken 1981
Orion	M742		A C de la Seine-Maritime, Le Havre		20.11.1953	1955	to USA 1970
Sagittaire	M743, 1976- P743		A C de la Seine-Maritime, Le Havre		12.1.1955	1955	patrol 1976, stricken 1981
Achernar	M744		CMN, Cherbourg		12.8.1954	1955	to USA 1970
Procyon	M745		CMN, Cherbourg		12.12.1954	1955	to USA 1970
Arcturus	M746, 1969- P650		CNF, Blainville		12.3.1954	11/1954	patrol 1969, stricken 1981
Bételgeuse	M747		CNF, Blainville		12.7.1954	1954	auxiliary A474 1977
Persée	M748		CMN, Cherbourg		23.5.1955	1956	stricken 1970
Phénix	M749, 1989- P749		CMN, Cherbourg		23.5.1955	12/1956	patrol 1989, stricken 1992
Bellatrix	M750		A C Augustin-Normand, Le Havre		21.7.1955	1956	stricken 1974
Dénébola	M751		CMN, Cherbourg		12.7.1956	1956	stricken 1974
Centaure	M752		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		8.3.1955	1956	to USA 1971
Fomalhaut	M753		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		24.4.1955	1956	to USA 1970
Canopus	M754, 1969- P659		A C Augustin-Normand, Le Havre		31.12.1953	9/1956	patrol 1969, stricken 1986
Capella	M755		CMN, Cherbourg		6.9.1955	5/1956	collision 28.2.1987, stricken
Céphée	M739		CMN, Cherbourg		3.1.1956	6/1956	stricken 1988
Verseau	M757		CMN, Cherbourg		26.4.1956	9/1956	stricken 1988
Ariès	M758		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		13.3.1956	1956	to Morocco 1974 (توفيك [Tawfic])
Lyre	M759, 1976- P759		Penhoët, St-Nazaire		3.5.1956	2/1957	patrol 1976, stricken 1981

Technical data

Displacement standard, t	365
Displacement full, t	424
Length, m	42.7 pp 46.4 oa
Breadth, m	8.60
Draught, m	2.50
No of shafts	2
Machinery	M701-710, 740-745, 750-753: SIGMA free-piston gas generators, 2 Rateau-Bretagne gas turbines / 1 diesel-generator, 1 electric motor M734-737, 746-749, 754-759: 2 SEMT-Pielstick diesels
Power, h. p.	M701-710, 740-745, 750-753: 2000 / 500 M734-737, 746-749, 754-759: 2000
Max speed, kts	15
Fuel, t	diesel oil 48
Endurance, nm(kts)	M701-710, 740-745, 750-753: 3000(10) M734-737, 746-749, 754-759: 2000(15)
Armament	1 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 3, (1 - 2) x 1 - 20/70 Mk 4, mechanical, acoustic and magnetic sweeping gear
Electronic equipment	DRBN-31 radar
Complement	38

Standard scale images

Graphics

Project history

Of the 34 French minesweepers completed belonging to this group, 28 were funded under MDAP. Three further vessels were built for Yugoslavia. They had the same general characteristics as the British 'Ton' class and the design was developed in close collaboration with Thornycroft and the Royal Navy, but there were differences in the construction of the hull. The latter was of laminated wood and aluminium, producing a strong, rigid, light body; the keel and stern were of heavy wood. They were fitted with mechanical, magnetic and acoustic sweep gear.

Modernizations

1960, Altaïr;1969, Croix du Sud, Arcturus, Canopus; 1973, Étoile Polaire;1976, Antarès, Véga, Eridan, Sagittaire, Lyre; 1989, Phénix - as patrols: - minesweeping gear

Naval service

No significant events.