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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
FRANCE
MINE WARFARE SHIPS
MERCURE coastal minesweeper (1958)


Photo



Mercure 1968

Ships


Name

No

Yard No

Builder

Laid down

Launched

Comp

Fate

Mercure M765, 12.1980- P765   CMN, Cherbourg 1.1955 21.12.1957 12.1958 stricken 4.1991


Technical data


Displacement standard, t

365

Displacement full, t

400

Length, m

44.4

Breadth, m

8.30

Draught, m

4.00

No of shafts

2

Machinery

2 Mercedes-Benz diesels

Power, h. p.

4000

Max speed, kts

15

Fuel, t

diesel oil 48

Endurance, nm(kts)3000(15)
Armament

1 x 2 - 20/70 Mk 24, mechanical, acoustic and magnetic sweeping gears

Electronic equipment

DRBN-32 radar

Complement

48



Standard scale images


<i>Mercure </i>1965
Mercure 1965


Graphics


<i>Mercure</i> 1968
Mercure 1968


Project history

Known as DBI, Mercure was to have been the first of a new class of French coastal minesweeper based on the ex-American MSCs of the Acacia class. She was ordered from CMN, Cherbourg, under MDAP.

The hull was of laminated wood assembled or glued under heavy pressure, with anti-magnetic longitudinal metal bonding. The navigation bridge was of light alloy. All propulsion and generating machinery was flexibly mounted for shock resistance, and during sweep operations the ship's engines could be operated from a small cabin just beneath the upper deck.

Modernizations

1980, as patrol: diesels were replaced by MGO2500 (2500hp, 6200(10)nm); - minesweeping gear

Naval service

Since 1981 Mercure served on fishery protection off the Atlantic Coast.

1968