Suffren-class cruiser

Schematics of the Suffren class
Class overview
NameSuffren class
Operators French Navy
Preceded byDuquesne class
Succeeded byAlgérie
Built1925-1932
In service1930-1972
Building4
Completed4
Lost3
Scrapped1
General characteristics (Suffren)
Type
  • Heavy cruiser
  • French designation
    • Light cruiser (1925)
    • 1st class cruiser (1931)
Displacement
  • 10,160 t (10,000 long tons) (standard)
  • 11,769 t (11,583 long tons) (Normal)
  • 13,135 t (12,928 long tons) (full load)
Length
  • 194 m (636.48 ft) overall
  • 185 m (606.96 ft) between perpendiculars
Beam19.26 m (63.19 ft)
Draught6.51 m (21.36 ft)
Propulsion
  • 6 boilers
  • 3-shaft geared steam turbines
  • 88,768.8 shp (66,194.9 kW)
Speed32 knots (59 km/h) (designed)
Range4,600 nautical miles (8,500 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement773
Armament
Armour
Aircraft carried2 GL-810 then Loire-Nieuport 130
Aviation facilities2 catapults

The Suffren class was an interwar treaty cruiser built by France for the French Navy. The design was based on the preceding Duquesne-class cruiser and traded speed for protection while retaining the same armament. The first ship, Suffren, was completed based on this design.[1] The following ships, Colbert, Foch, Dupleix, were completed to a modified design with heavier secondary armament and rearranged topside.[2] The ships entered service from 1930 to 1933, with Suffren being the sole survivor of the Second World War.

Prior to the London Naval Treaty, the French Navy classified cruisers as armoured (croiseur cuirasse) or light (croiseurs legers); afterwards cruisers were divided between first class (croiseur de 1ere classe) and second class (croiseur de 2e classe). The Suffren was initially classified as a light cruiser, and then as a first class cruiser on 1 July 1931.[3]