This gave the ships a maximum speed of . The vessels had a range of at . Originally the ships were only armed with two mortars, though "Ouragan" was given four 40 mm machine guns. However in 1993, the two ships were upgraded with two Matra Simbad twin missile launchers armed with the Mistral infrared surface-to-air missile. The anti sea-skimmer missile has a homing range to and carries a warhead. "Orage" was also given two Breda/Mauser 30 mm/70 guns. "Ouragan" was initially deployed with the SQS-17 sonar system. In 1993, as part of their modernisation, both ships were equipped with Thomson-CSF DRBV 51A air/surface radar and two Racal-Decca 34A navigation radar. For weapons control they were given two SAGEM VIGY-105 optronic systems. "Ouragan"s sonar was removed in the refit. The "Ouragan" class initially had the ability to operate three Aérospatiale SA 321 Super Frelon helicopters or ten Aérospatiale Alouette IIIs from its flight deck. They could have one further Super Frelon or three Alouettes fly from a removable flight deck area covering its well deck space. Within its hold, it could carry 18 Super Frelons and 80 Alouettes for transport purposes only. Following its commissioning, "Orage" was sent to the Pacific Ocean and assigned to the Pacific Experimental Centre. While deployed with this unit, "Orage" was unarmed and its surgical compartments and inboard removable decks were replaced with modular structure. This allowed the vessel to be a floating headquarters ship. In 1991, "Ouragan" took part in the Opération Daguet, the French armed forces operation in the Gulf War. The ships were due to decommission in 1993, however delays in the construction of the forced the French navy to send the class in for an overhaul. Following the refit, both ships were assigned to the Force d'action navale based in Toulon. They remained with that force until 2007 when they were both decommissioned. The two ships of this class were supposedly due for transfer to the Argentine Navy in 2006 and 2007 but the whole operation was placed on hold by the Argentine Government due to concerns about asbestos, a toxic material used in the ships' construction. They remained moored in Toulon harbour. In spring 2016 Ouragan arrived in Ghent at the Galloo ship recycling plant where it is currently being dismantled.