Built by Swan Hunter, Wallsend on Tyne as a type 22 frigate for the Royal Navy.
12 May 1986, laid down.
20 January 1988 launched, Lady Ronni Oswald, wife of Sir Julian Oswald, performed the christening, at that time the First Sea Lord. She was the 7th ship by the Royal Navy that carried this name.
Displacement 4.850 tonnes full load. Dim. 148.10 x 14.8 x 6.4m. (draught).
Powered by two Roll-Royce Spey gas turbines 10.680 shp., speed 18 knots, twin screws. Two sets Tyne gas turbines 37.450 shp. Speed 30 knots.
Armed with 2 quadruple Harpoon launchers. Two GSW 25 Mod 3 Seawolf anti-missile missile system. 1 – 4.5 gun, 2 – 20mm guns (after her refit). Goalkeeper and 2 triple torpedo tubes.
Carried 2 Lynx and 1 Sea King or Merlin helicopter.
Crew 232.
04 May 1990 commissioned.
Used in the Gulf of Oman Patrols.
1997 Was guard ship to the Royal Yacht BRITANNIA during the handover of Hong Kong. During her way home she visited Cape Town and was she the representative for the 75th Anniversary of the South African Navy.
1998 Acted as guard ship for British National Day at the Expo 98 at Lisbon.
May 2000 used with the Amphibious Ready Group off the coast of Sierra Leone to oversee the evacuation of British, EU and Commonwealth nationals.
Before her refit had she visited 20 countries.
Nov. 2002 based at Devonport, U.K.
2003 Takes part in Operation ‘Enduring Freedom’ off the coast of Iraq.
2009 Inservice.
Sierra Leone 2001 1100Le sg?, scott?
Report in the "Times" of 29th January 2011.
Source; http://www.seriousfun.org.uk/chatham.htm http://www.btinternet.com/~warship/Toda ... type22.htm
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ ... type22.htm