HMS Amazon (F169)
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PNS Babur (D182), former HMS Amazon, 2004
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History | |
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United Kingdom | |
Name | HMS Amazon |
Operator | Royal Navy |
Builder | Vosper Thornycroft |
Laid down | 6 November 1969 |
Launched | 26 April 1971 |
Commissioned | 11 May 1974 |
Decommissioned | 30 September 1993 |
Identification | Pennant number: F169 |
Motto | Audaciter (Latin: "boldly") |
Fate | Sold to Pakistan on 30 September 1993 |
Pakistan | |
Name | PNS Babur |
Operator | Pakistan Navy |
Commissioned | 30 September 1993 |
Decommissioned | 31 December 2014 |
Status | Decommissioned |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Type 21 frigate |
Displacement | 3,250 tons full load |
Length | 384 ft (117 m) |
Beam | 41 ft 9 in (12.73 m) |
Draught | 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph) |
Range |
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Complement | 177 |
Armament |
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Aircraft carried | 1 × Westland Wasp helicopter, later refitted for 1 × Westland Lynx |
HMS Amazon was the first
Design
The Type 21 frigates were intended as a class of general purpose frigates to replace the diesel-powered frigates of the
Amazon was 384 feet (117.04 m)
As built, armament consisted of a single
Later ships of the class completed with four Exocet anti-ship missiles forward, and two triple tubes for United States USN/NATO-standard Mark 44 or Mark 46 torpedoes,[4] but Amazon did not receive Exocet until 1984–1985.[7]
Construction
Amazon, the first of her class, was ordered on 26 March 1969.
In June 1977 Amazon took part in the
In December 1980 the ship struck a coral pinnacle off Belize.[11] Amazon was the only unit of her class to not participate in the Falklands War, as she was in the Persian Gulf at the time,[4][11] although she carried out a patrol in the South Atlantic in August–November 1982.[11]
By the mid-1980s the surviving Type 21s were suffering cracking in the hull and so she was taken in for refitting, with a steel plate being welded down each side of the ship. At the same time modifications were made to reduce hull noise. Four Exocet launchers were also fitted in 'B' position, the last of the class to be so fitted.
Amazon decommissioned and was sold to
On 3 August 2011, a video surfaced on the Internet reportedly showing Babur brushing against the Indian frigate Godavari in the Gulf of Aden during the rescue of hostages on-board merchant vessel MV Suez in June.[16]
After serving 22 years of military service, Babur was retired and decommissioned from service in December 2014.
Commanding officers
From | To | Captain |
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1973 | 1975 | Commander W John Bingham OBE RN |
1975 | 1977 | Commander David Dobson RN |
1977 | 1978 | Commander A B Richardson RN |
1978 | 1979 | Commander R N Woodard RN |
1980 | 1982 | Commander Ian Garnett RN |
1982 | 1984 | Commander J E K Ellis RN |
1986 | 1988 | Commander R J Lippiett RN |
1988 | 1990 | Commander David A Lewis RN |
1990 | 1992 | Commander David J M Mowlam RN |
1992 | 1993 | Commander Patrick H Watson RN |
References
- ^ a b Marriott 1983, p. 97
- ^ a b c d Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, p. 522
- ^ Friedman 2008, pp. 322–323
- ^ a b c d Marriott 1983, p. 100
- ^ Marriott 1983, pp. 97–97
- ^ Gardiner & Chumbley 1995, pp. 484 0150485
- ^ Couhat & Baker 1986, p. 194
- ^ Friedman 2008, p. 296
- ^ a b Marriott 1983, p. 104
- ^ "Lucky omen at Amazon launch". Navy News. No. 203. May 1971. p. 1. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- ^ a b c d e f Critchley 1992, p. 134
- ^ Michael Neubert, Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement (23 October 1989). "Defence: Navy Vessels". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). House of Commons. col. 357W–361W. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
- ^ Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, HMSO
- ^ Preston 2002, pp. 176–177
- ^ Sturtivant & Ballance 1994, p. 410
- ^ "Video Shows PNS Babur Brushing Against INS Godavari". Outlook India. Archived from the original on 31 January 2013. Retrieved 4 August 2011.
Publications
- ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
- Couhat, Jean Laybayle; Baker, A. D., eds. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87: Their Ships, Aircraft and Armament. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85368-860-5.
- Critchley, Mike (1992). British Warships Since 1945: Part 5: Frigates. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Press. ISBN 0-907771-13-0.
- Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
- Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
- Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1322-5.
- Preston, Antony (2002). The World's Worst Warships. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-754-6.
- Sturtivant, Ray; Ballance, Theo (1994). The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.