The T 53 class were the second group of destroyers built for the French Navy after World War II.

The main difference with the preceding ships was the provision of improved air warning and tracking radars as well as an anti-submarine mortar.

The ships were built between 1957 and 1958 and were decommissioned in the late 1970s or early 1980s.

A single modified ship La Galissonnière was built as a trials ship for a new generation of French weapons.

In 1972–73 two of the class were substantially modified: La Galissonnière differed slightly in specification from the rest of the class as she was built specifically to test the Malafon anti-submarine missile.