HMNZS Waikato (F55) was a Leander Batch 2TA frigate

Leander class frigate

The Leander class, or Type 12I frigates, comprising twenty-six vessels, was among the most numerous and long-lived classes of frigate in the Royal Navy's modern history. The class was built in three batches between 1959 and 1973...

 of the Royal New Zealand Navy

Royal New Zealand Navy

The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...

 (RNZN). She was one of two Leanders built for the RNZN, the other being the Batch 3 HMNZS Canterbury

HMNZS Canterbury (F421)

HMNZS Canterbury was one of two broad beam Leander class frigates operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy from 1971 to 2005. HMNZS Canterbury was laid down on 12 June 1969 by Yarrow Shipbuilders and launched 11 months later on 6 May 1970....

. These two New Zealand ships relieved British ships of the Armilla patrol

Armilla patrol

The Armilla patrol is the British Royal Navy's permanent presence in the Persian Gulf.The Royal Navy withdrew its forces from the Persian Gulf in 1971 in line with the UK's general retreat from imperial commitments. However, tensions in the area remained high and Royal Navy ships were still a...

 during the Falklands conflict

Falklands War

The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...

, freeing British ships for deployment.

HMNZS Waikato was decommissioned from the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1998 and bought from the Government for $1. She was stripped in the Northland port of Opua

Opua

Opua is a locality in the Bay of Islands, in the sub-tropical Northland Region of New Zealand. It is notable as the first port for overseas yachts arriving in the country after crossing the Pacific Ocean...

 and sunk off the coast of Tutukaka on 18 December 2000 as an artificial reef. In 2002, the sunken Waikato’s bow was separated from the rest of the ship in heavy weather.

See also

• Frigates of the Royal New Zealand Navy
  Frigates of the Royal New Zealand Navy
  Commissioned frigates of the Royal New Zealand Navy from its formation on 1 October 1941 to the present:-Loch class frigates:-Whitby class frigates:-Leander class frigates:-Anzac class frigates:-References:...