LCF / NLF-class
Summary
| Origin country | 🇳🇱 Netherlands |
| Category | Destroyer |
| Subtype | Missile destroyer |
| Manufacturer | Royal Schelde |
| Year commissioned | 1939 |
| Units | F802 DE ZEVEN PROVINCIEN, F803 TROMP, F804 DE RUYTER, F805 EVERTSEN |
Description
The L and M class comprised a group of sixteen destroyers that served the British Royal Navy during World War II, with vessels launched between 1939 and 1942. Stemming from the 1937 and 1939 Naval Estimates, the L class, also known as the Laforeys, and the M class served in distinct theatres such as the Home Fleet and the Mediterranean throughout the conflict.
Designed in the pre-war period, the L and M destroyers reflected lessons learnt from the Spanish Civil War, especially the imperative for effective anti-aircraft capabilities against modern aircraft. With a single funnel silhouette, these ships carried a tripod foremast, a short mainmast aft of amidships, and a signature bridge design featuring a bulletproof wheelhouse with increased elevation for better visibility. As the first British destroyers to be equipped with fully enclosed gun mountings, they offered improved conditions for the crew. The differentiation between the leader Laforey and its class counterparts was minimal and mainly revolved around enhanced accommodations and advanced radio equipment.
The original armament plan included six 4.7-inch guns and eight torpedo tubes, with close-range armament yet to be decided upon at the time. However, the outbreak of war necessitated rapid decisions. Consequently, four L class ships were to be armed with 4-inch guns instead of the standard 4.7-inch. The main armament consisted of the QF Mark XI 4.7-inch guns positioned in Mark XX twin mountings, allowing for significant arcs of fire and improved firepower with independently elevating guns. However, issues with weatherproofing and ammunition feed were noted in service.
Close-range armament was a subject of heated debate, with proposals ranging from multiple pom-poms to machine guns of varying calibers. Eventually, developments led to the fitting of additional 4-inch HA guns in place of some torpedo tubes on the 4.7-inch gunned ships.
Operational history of these destroyers was marked by high attrition, particularly for the L class, with six out of eight being lost during the war. The survivors were decommissioned and broken up by 1948. The M class fared somewhat better, with continued service until post-war, when the remaining four of the five survivors were sold to Turkey in 1958.
In the 1950s, plans to convert the M class and other contemporary destroyers into Type 62 Air Direction Frigates surfaced, entailing significant changes in armament and sensors. This was to include the introduction of a twin 4-inch gun, a twin 40 mm Bofors gun, Squid anti-submarine mortar, and sophisticated radar and sonar systems. Despite initial enthusiasm and several design iterations, the project was ultimately abandoned due to the poor condition and inadequate shock-resistance of the vessels.
The operating countries for the M class eventually included Turkey, which procured four of the five surviving ships in 1958 after they had been decommissioned from the British Royal Navy. The wartime service of these ships took them from the Home Fleet duties to the challenging operational environment of the Mediterranean.
Technical specifications
| LCF / NLF | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 6050 tons |
| Range | 10000 km at 18 knots |
| Crew | 190 members |
| Width | 11.3 m (37.1 ft) |
| Length | 110.4 m (362.2 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 Rolls Royce SM-1 Spey gas turbines with a power of 50,300 hp each - 2 propellers |
| Thrust | 6600 hp |
| Armament | 1 VLS Mk.41 (64 SM-2 / ESS) + 8 UGM-84 (IV 2) + 1 127mm OTO-Melara Compact gun + 2 Goalkeeper CIWS + 2 20mm Bofors guns + 4 T/ASM Mk.32 + 1 Lynx / NH-90 helicopter |
| Maximum speed | 36 knots |