Suffren (D602)

The "Suffren" anti-air frigate was a large vessel of the French Navy, designed to protect a fleet against air threats, surface ships, submarines, and, to a lesser extent, provide fire power against land objectives. She is the sister-ship of the "Duquesne", and was decommissioned in 2001. She was the seventh French vessel named after the 18th century admiral Pierre André de Suffren; her artillery turrets are named after ships commanded by the marquis of Suffren: turret n°1 is named "Héros" ("hero") after the "Héros", and turret n°2 is named "Fantasque", after the "Fantasque".

With her sister-ship, she was the first missile-launching destroyer of the French Navy. She was designed to protect the French carriers (the "Foch" and "Clemenceau") against air and submarine threats. In 2001, the "Suffren" was put in the reserve, her engine becoming too expensive to maintain.

Note: The French navy doesn't use the term "destroyer" for its ships; thus some large ships, referred to as "frigates", are registered as destroyers.

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