Mistral, Georges-Leygues: Libya bound eagles

France's second-largest warship, the helicopter carrier Mistral, is heading to Libya, escorted by the frigate Georges-Leygues. The Mistral is scheduled to take part in a European Union-led plan to repatriate Egyptian guest workers flooding out of Libya to escape unrest.
The Mistral and the Georges-Leygues together could carry 800 refugees. The Mistral (L9013) is an amphibious assault ship, a type of helicopter carrier, of the French Navy. Georges Leygues (D640) is the lead ship of the F70 type anti-submarine frigate of the French Marine Nationale.She is the tender for the helicopter cruiser Jeanne d'Arc.


Mistral (L9013)
Class and type: Mistral-class amphibious assault ship
Displacement:

16,500 t (empty)
21,300 t (full load)
32,300 t (with ballasts)
Length: 199 m
Beam: 32 m
Draught: 6,3 m
Propulsion: Motorisation : 2 Mermaïd electric motors (2 × 7 MW)
2 5-bladed propellers
Electrical plant: 4 Wärtsilä diesels-alternators 16 V32 (6,2 MW) + 1 Wärtsilä Vasaa auxiliary diesel-alternator 18V200 (3 MW)
Speed: 18.8 knots
Range: 10,800 km at 18 knots
19,800 km at 15 knots
Capacity: 2 barges, one Leclerc battalion, 70 vehicles
Complement: 20 officers, 80 petty officers, 60 Quarter-masters, 450 passengers (900 for a short cruise), 150 men operational headquarter
Armament:

2 Simbad systems
2 30 mm Breda-Mauser
4 12.7 mm M2-HB Browning machine guns
Aircraft carried: 16 heavy or 35 light helicopters


Georges Leygues (D640)
Type: Anti-submarine Frigate
Displacement: 3,550 t (3,494 long tons)
4,500 t (4,429 long tons) full load
Length: 139 m (456 ft)
Beam: 14 m (46 ft)
Draught: 5.7 m (18 ft 8 in)
Propulsion: CODOG
2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines, 26,000 hp (19,388 kW) each
2 × SEMT Pielstick 16PA6-V280 diesel engines, 5,200 hp (3,878 kW) each
Speed: 30 knots (35 mph; 56 km/h)
Range: 8,500 miles
Complement: 235
Armament:

Anti-ship;

* 4 × MM38/MM40 Exocet anti-ship missiles

Anti-submarine;

* 2 × fixed torpedo tubes (10 × L5 mod 4 or MU90 torpedoes)

Guns;

* 1 × Creusot-Loire Compact 100mm/55 Mod 68 DP gun
* 2 × 30 mm Breda-Mauser or 20 mm F2 anti-aircraft guns
2/4 × 12.7 machine guns

CIWS;

* 1 x Crotale Navale EDIR octuple launcher (26 × CIWS anti-air missiles)
* 2 × Simbad twin launcher (Mistral 4 x CIWS anti-air missiles)

Aircraft carried:

* 2 × Westland Lynx anti-ship helicopters