HMS Argyll (F231)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


HMS Argyll (F231) at Valletta, Malta in 2002
Career (UK) RN Ensign
Name: HMS Argyll
Operator: Royal Navy
Ordered: September 1986
Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down: 20 March 1987
Launched: 8 April 1989
Commissioned: 31 May 1991
Homeport: HMNB Devonport
Motto: Ne Obliviscaris
"Lest We Forget"
Fate: Active in service as of 2008
General characteristics
Class and type: 'Duke' Class Type 23 frigate
Displacement: 4,900 tonnes
Length: 133 m (463 ft 3 in)
Beam: 16.1 m (52 ft 10 in)
Draught: 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
Propulsion: CODLAG (Combined Diesel-eLectric And Gas)
2 × Rolls-Royce Spey boost gas-turbines
4 × Paxman Valenta diesel engines
2 × GEC electric motors
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h)
15 knots (28 km/h) on diesel-electric
Range: 7,800 nautical miles (14,400 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement: 185
Armament: 2 × ASuW Harpoon quad launchers
Vertical launch system Sea Wolf missiles
1 × BAE 4.5 inch (110 mm) Mk 8 gun
2 × Oerlikon 30 mm guns
4 × Sting Ray torpedo tubes
Seagnat and DFL3 decoy launchers
Aircraft carried: 1 × Lynx HMA8
For other ships of the same name, see HMS Argyll.

The third and current HMS Argyll (F231) is a Type 23 'Duke' Class frigate. She was laid down in March 1987 by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow, launched in 1989 by Lady Wendy Levene, and commissioned in May 1991. Argyll is currently part of the 6th Frigate Squadron based at Devonport Dockyard.

The Commanding Officer of Argyll is Commander Peter Olive RN who succeeded the previous Captain, Gavin Pritchard, in May 2008.

Contents

[edit] Deployments

In 2000, Argyll was part of the Royal Navy task force — comprising Illustrious, Ocean, Iron Duke, Chatham, and four RFA ships — that deployed to Sierra Leone during the civil war there. During those operations, Argyll acted as the West African Guardship and remained off West Africa until September 2000. During her deployment, Argyll saved fifty-eight lives from drowning. She was relieved by her sister-ship Iron Duke in September.[1] During this incident Argyll, assisted by HMS Ocean, laid the foundation for the Iron Duke Community School. This is a school for orphans in Freetown. President Kabbah of Sierra Leone decreed the school be named after the crew of HMS Iron Duke (F234) for completing the construction of the six classrooms.[2]

2001 saw a change in command with Commander John Kingwell succeeding Commander Rick Wellesley.[3] In 2001, while in the Bay of Biscay, Argyll suffered an electrical fire that was quickly put out by the ship's damage control team, with the ship suffering only minimal damage.[4]

Argyll completed a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf protecting two oil platforms, working with the American, Australian and Iraqi Navies from February to August 2005.[5] The ship made a short visit to Boulogne, then to its home port of Inverary and finally to Liverpool [1], before undergoing Operational Sea Trials. Argyll successfully completed Operational Sea Training and was acted as a contingency platform whilst H.M. Elizabeth II spent a week sailing on the Hebridean Princess in July 2006.

In September 2006 Argyll was deployed along with other ships such as Ocean and Albion where she completed two drugs raids on merchant ships totalling £50 million. They completed their operation in November of the same year.

HMS Argyll was in the newspapers for all the wrong reasons on 14 September 2007 when it was claimed that 41-year-old commanding officer Captain Nigel Chandler was replaced when the ship failed twice to pass the Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) exercises. These exercises are taken every 18 months to ensure the ship and crew are ready for deployment.[6] In October 2007 Argyll returned to the Persian Gulf to take over from her sister-ship, HMS Richmond.[7]

Thursday 3 April 2008 saw more than 500 friends and relatives welcome HMS Argyll as she returned to her home at Devonport after a deployment lasting 6 months in the Northern Arabian Gulf. This was the Argyll's second Gulf deployment to Combined Task Force (CTF) 150 in three years. This deployment included one patrol which lasted 52 days from January to March 2008. HMS Argyll is also planned to be at the 'Meet Your Navy' exhibition at HMNB Portsmouth 2008. [8][9]

6 May 2008 saw the crew return to Argyll, with the crew bidding their commanding officer of 7 months, Commander Gavin Pritchard, a fond farewell. Pritchard was succeeded by Commander Peter Olive. Argyll was then to engage in a period of trials and training before entering a period of maintenance in June. [10]


11 May 2008 saw the Trans-Atlantic solo yacht race in Plymouth Sound started by the ceremonial cannon aboard Argyll. Dame Ellen MacArthur also attended the start of the race and Rear Admiral Richard Ibbotson, head of the Flag Officer Sea Training organisation, was also on board Argyll. [11][12]

[edit] Affiliations

School Crest of the Dollar Academy, affiliate of HMS Argyll.
School Crest of the Dollar Academy, affiliate of HMS Argyll.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Summer 2000: Duties In Sierra Leone.. The Worshipful Company of Paviors (2000-11-28).
  2. ^ Iron Duke completes 33,000-mile voyage.. Navy news newspaper (2001-02-26).
  3. ^ March 2001: New Captain in Command.. The Worshipful Company of Paviors (2001-03-31).
  4. ^ Fire on board HMS Argyll.. Navy news newspaper (2001-04-03).
  5. ^ August 2005: In Home Waters.. The Worshipful Company of Paviors (2005-08-24).
  6. ^ Navy sacks Captain Calamity.. News Group Newspapers Ltd (2007-09-14).
  7. ^ http://www.gogibraltarsite.com/MediterraneanNavalNews.html
  8. ^ Warm Welcome for HMS Argyll’s Return to Devonport.. Royal Navy (2008-03-31).
  9. ^ Hundreds Cheer HMS Argyll Home To the UK.. Royal Navy (2008-04-03).
  10. ^ HMS Argyll Returns to Work.. Royal Navy (2008-04-03).
  11. ^ HMS Argyll Starts Trans-Atlantic Yacht Race.. Royal Navy (2008-05-09).
  12. ^ HMS Argyll Launches Trans-Atlantic Yacht Race.. Royal Navy (2008-05-12).
  13. ^ http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.1496

[edit] External links

[edit] Gallery

Central section of the ship.

Aft Section of the ship.

Forward section of the ship.
v • d • e
Type 23 frigate
List of frigates of the Royal Navy
Languages