She was the fourth French ship named in honour of privateer and slave trader Robert Surcouf.

Surcouf was attached to the Tenth Destroyer Division (DEE10) of the Light Fleet (the Escadre légère) based at Brest.

On 26 March 1960, Surcouf was involved in a collision with the cargo ship Léognan off Groix, suffering significant damage but no loss of life.

After her conversion into a flotilla leader (June 1960 – October 1961) Surcouf was assigned to the main fleet (the Escadre), based at Toulon, where she was the flagship of the admiral commanding the 1st FEE (ALFEE).

[5] On 6 June 1971, before sunrise, in the Mediterranean Sea 60 nautical miles (110 km) southeast of Cartagena, Spain, as she sailed with the tactical group of the aircraft carrier Arromanches, Surcouf was again in a collision when she cut across the bow of the Soviet tanker General Busharov.

When the French destroyer Tartu (which belonged to the same tactical group) attempted to tow the badly damaged ship, Surcouf snapped in two, the bow sinking quickly.