Aptly named “workhorses of the Fleet”, HMS Cardiff and her sister Type 42 destroyers form the backbone of the Royal Navy’s anti-air warfare forces and are also equipped to deal effectively with surface and submarine targets. They are powerful, cost-effective platforms for the Senior Service’s latest weapon systems.
Since returning from the Gulf War in 1991 Cardiff’s deployments have included counter-narcotics patrols in the West Indies – during which period she also assisted the relief task on the island of Eleuthera in the wake of Hurricane Andrew – and a stint with the Standing Naval Force Mediterranean.
A short period in home waters for maintenance and intensive sea training followed before Cardiff returned to the Gulf for seven months.
She and HMS Cornwall conducted joint patrol operations in the Northern Arabian Gulf with allied navies and this overt naval presence helped the swift resolution of a period of heightened tension between Iraq and Kuwait.
Upon her return to the UK Cardiff underwent a further period of maintenance before embarking on a busy programme of exercises and training. As a participant in a three-week long NATO exercise, Strong Resolve, in Norway she operated in close co-operation with ships from the United States, Canada, Holland, Spain and Norway.
Operational sea training at Portland followed in preparation for assuming the duty of Fleet Ready Escort. This task demands readiness to deploy to any potential area of tension at short notice – for example, in support of the United Nations arms embargo in the Adriatic.
Since completing OST the ship has taken part in VE Day commemorations in Copenhagen and Oslo and provided navigational sea training for frigate and destroyer navigating officer candidates.
A visit to her namesake city of Cardiff for VJ Day anniversary celebrations followed another maintenance period and then the ship sailed to Plymouth for a trails and weapon training programme, part of the continuing process of maintaining military capability.
In November HMS Cardiff became the first Royal Navy ship to enter Beirut for 27 years. Visits to Tunisia and Gibraltar followed. Before her call at the Lebanese capital she took part in the multi-national exercise Bright Star, which also involved the Egyptian Navy and 40,000 troops ashore in the Egyptian desert. Seventeen warships participated.
Built by Vickers in Barrow and launched in 1974, HMS Cardiff’s fitting out was delayed until she was towed to Swan Hunter’s yard on the Tyne, and she was finally accepted into service in September 1979.
Her air defence armament centres around the Sea Dart missile system which in its prime role is designed to provide area air defence to a group of ships at sea. It also has a capability against surface targets.
The system comprises a twin-barrelled missile launcher and two Type 909 fire control radars which guide the missile to its target with the help of the ship’s main computer installations.
A Vickers single-barrelled automatic 4.5in Mark 8 machine gun is also fitted. This weapon, also controlled by the Type 909 radars, has a high rate of fire, It is capable of engaging both air and surface targets and performs well against shore targets in the bombardment role.
Close range self defence is provided by two radar-controlled Vulcan Phalanx weapon systems and a number of manually operated 20mm guns.
Overall the ship has a comprehensive fit of search and target indication radars as well as various electronic warning devices which together feed the centralised computer system with information to enable the air defence weapons to engage their targets.
Cardiff is fitted with the advanced Type 2016 active sonar for the detection of submarines. This feeds target information into the computer system, thus allowing the helicopter controller to position the ship’s Lynx helo for an attack with homing torpedoes.
The Anglo-French Lynx, an important component of the Type 42’s weapon package, can also carry the Sea Skua air-to-surface guided missile which proved so effective in the Gulf War.
With its powerful radar, the Lynx extends the ship’s detection range against enemy surface forces. It can achieve speeds of over 150 knots and is fitted with comprehensive avionics equipment. The helicopter can also be used for search and rescue.
HMS Cardiff’s full internal and external communications and navigation fit, including satellite link, complements the weapon systems and provides swift and accurate action information.
In action the ship is fought from the operations room, where full use is make of all weapons to engage the enemy at long range and protect high value units in the group.
The Type 42’s ship’s company comprises more than 280 men and women who serve in four main departments – operations, supply and secretariat, weapons engineering. Each is an expert in his or her own field. In such a modern, complex warship in the emphasis is increasingly placed on technical skills.
HMS Cardiff has a well-equipped sickbay and comfortable is somewhat confined accommodation – creature comforts often necessarily taking second place to fighting efficiency. She is fully air conditioned.
Recreation at sea comes by way of films, TV and a well-stocked library. Day to day necessities are sold from a small Naafi canteen.
Facts and Figures
Pennant no: D108
Builder: Vickers Shipbuilding Engineering, Barrow-In-Furness
Laid Down: November 6, 1972 Launched: February 22, 1974 Commissioned: September 24, 1979
Displacement: 4,000 tons Length: 412ft Beam: 46ft
Main Machinery: Two 28,000 bhp Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines for full power; two 5,200 bhp Rolls-Royce Tyne gas turbines for cruising; controllable pitch propellers on each of the two shafts for manoeuvring.
Speed: In excess of 28knots Range: 4,000 miles at 18knots
Motto: Acris in cardine rerum - Keen in emergency
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