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HMS Liverpool (D92)
Encyclopedia
HMS Liverpool is a Type 42
destroyer
of the Royal Navy
. She was built by Cammell Laird
in Birkenhead
and launched on 25 September 1980 by Lady Strathcona, wife of Euan Howard
, the then Minister of State for Defence. Liverpool is the last Batch 2 Type 42 in service.
Liverpool fired what is believed to be the first salvo of Sea Dart
missiles in well over a decade, along with possibly the second only salvo ever. The firing took place approximately 250 miles (402.3 km) south-west of the Isles of Scilly
on 8 September 2002, against a sea skimming target to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Sea Dart missile
and Liverpools systems following a 12-month refit at Rosyth Dockyard
.
She was part of Naval Task Group 03 (NTG03), intended to take part in exercises in the Far East
as part of the Five Power Defence Arrangement. The task force was, instead, sent to the Persian Gulf
where they took part in the 2003 Iraq War.
In 2005, Liverpool was sent to the Caribbean
, where her duties included patrols to crack down on drug smuggling. In 2008, 18 sailors onboard tested positive for cocaine
in a routine drug test.
She entered refit in 2009. On returning to service in 2010, Liverpool acted as an escort to fleet flagship
's task group during a four-month deployment to the United States and Canada as part of Exercise Auriga.
as the Royal Navy's contribution to Operation Unified Protector
, NATO's naval blockace of Libya during the country's civil war
.
On 18 April, she intercepted the vessel MV Setubal Express heading for Tripoli, conducting a boarding party search with Royal Marines
and finding trucks of potential use to the Gaddafi
regime. The merchant vessel was ordered to divert to Salerno
in Italy.
On 12 May 2011, while engaged in surveillance operations off the coast of the rebel-held Libyan city of Misrata, Liverpool came under fire from a shore battery. Liverpool had been tasked with other NATO warships, to intercept small, high-speed inflatable craft spotted approaching the port of Misrata, the type which had been used previously to lay mines in the Port of Misrata. Libyan rocket artillery on the coast fired an inaccurate salvo of rockets at Liverpool. Liverpool returned fire with her 4.5 inch main gun, silencing the shore battery, in the Royal Navy's first use of the weapon since the 2003 invasion of Iraq
.
On 28 June 2011, Liverpool used her main gun to fire warning shots at pro-Gaddafi maritime forces moving along Libya's Mediterranean coast just west of the city of Misrata, amid concerns a threat was posed to civilians due to recent repeated attempts to mine the harbour. After initially ignoring the first shell, a further three were fired and the vessels were forced to return to their port of departure.
On the morning of 3 August 2011, several rockets were fired at Liverpool. She returned heavy naval gunfire with its 4.5in main gun. The attack came after the ship had fired a barrage of illumination rounds in support of an air attack on the stronghold of Zliten
.
On 16 August 2011, Liverpool was involved in the most intense shore-bombardment of the war. Liverpool had been tasked by a patrol aircraft to fire illumination rounds over the city of Zlitan. While conducting this mission, Liverpool came under fire from a Loyalist shore-battery. Liverpool responded by firing three rounds from her 4.5 inch gun, silencing the battery. Later on the same day, a patrol aircraft spotted a large pro-Gaddafi vehicle convoy carrying weapons and ammunition. Liverpool fired 54 shells from her 4.5 inch gun at the convoy, destroying or severely damaging many of the vehicles. During the ensuing chaos on the ground, NATO aircraft destroyed the remainder of the convoy.
The ship is due to be decommissioned early 2012.
Type 42 destroyer
The Type 42 or Sheffield class, are guided missile destroyers used by the British Royal Navy and the Argentine Navy. The first ship of the class was ordered in 1968 and launched in 1971, and today three ships remain active in the Royal Navy and one in the Argentinian Navy...
destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
. She was built by Cammell Laird
Cammell Laird
Cammell Laird, one of the most famous names in British shipbuilding during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, came about following the merger of Laird, Son & Co. of Birkenhead and Johnson Cammell & Co. of Sheffield at the turn of the twentieth century.- Founding of the business :The Company...
in Birkenhead
Birkenhead
Birkenhead is a town within the Metropolitan Borough of Wirral in Merseyside, England. It is on the Wirral Peninsula, along the west bank of the River Mersey, opposite the city of Liverpool...
and launched on 25 September 1980 by Lady Strathcona, wife of Euan Howard
Euan Howard, 4th Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal
Donald Euan Palmer Howard, 4th Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal , is a British Conservative politician.Howard is the eldest son of Donald Howard, 3rd Baron Strathcona and Mount Royal, and his wife the Hon. Diana Evelyn, daughter of Gerald Loder, 1st Baron Wakehurst...
, the then Minister of State for Defence. Liverpool is the last Batch 2 Type 42 in service.
Operational history
Liverpool was taken up by the Royal Navy in April 1982 from Cammell Laird. After an accelerated trials period sailed for the South Atlantic in early June 1982. Though Liverpool did not see active service in the Falklands Conflict, she remained on station for the next six months before returning to the UK.Liverpool fired what is believed to be the first salvo of Sea Dart
Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart or Guided Weapon System 30 is a British surface-to-air missile system designed by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and built by British Aerospace from 1977...
missiles in well over a decade, along with possibly the second only salvo ever. The firing took place approximately 250 miles (402.3 km) south-west of the Isles of Scilly
Isles of Scilly
The Isles of Scilly form an archipelago off the southwestern tip of the Cornish peninsula of Great Britain. The islands have had a unitary authority council since 1890, and are separate from the Cornwall unitary authority, but some services are combined with Cornwall and the islands are still part...
on 8 September 2002, against a sea skimming target to demonstrate the effectiveness of the Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart missile
Sea Dart or Guided Weapon System 30 is a British surface-to-air missile system designed by Hawker Siddeley Dynamics and built by British Aerospace from 1977...
and Liverpools systems following a 12-month refit at Rosyth Dockyard
Rosyth Dockyard
Rosyth Dockyard is a large naval dockyard on the Firth of Forth at Rosyth, Fife, Scotland, owned by Babcock Marine, which primarily undertakes refitting of Royal Navy surface vessels.-History:...
.
She was part of Naval Task Group 03 (NTG03), intended to take part in exercises in the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
as part of the Five Power Defence Arrangement. The task force was, instead, sent to the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
where they took part in the 2003 Iraq War.
In 2005, Liverpool was sent to the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, where her duties included patrols to crack down on drug smuggling. In 2008, 18 sailors onboard tested positive for cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
in a routine drug test.
She entered refit in 2009. On returning to service in 2010, Liverpool acted as an escort to fleet flagship
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
's task group during a four-month deployment to the United States and Canada as part of Exercise Auriga.
Operation Unified Protector
In late March 2011, Liverpool was ordered to the Mediterranean to relieve Type 22 frigate CumberlandHMS Cumberland (F85)
HMS Cumberland was a Batch 3 Type 22 frigate of the British Royal Navy. She was launched in 1986 and commissioned on 10 June 1989. The frigate was on station during the First Gulf War and was part of the Devonport Flotilla based at Devonport Dockyard. Cumberland was decommissioned on 23 June...
as the Royal Navy's contribution to Operation Unified Protector
Operation Unified Protector
Operation Unified Protector was an NATO operation enforcing United Nations Security Council resolutions 1970 and 1973 concerning the 2011 Libyan civil war and adopted on 17 February and 17 March respectively...
, NATO's naval blockace of Libya during the country's civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
.
On 18 April, she intercepted the vessel MV Setubal Express heading for Tripoli, conducting a boarding party search with Royal Marines
Royal Marines
The Corps of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, commonly just referred to as the Royal Marines , are the marine corps and amphibious infantry of the United Kingdom and, along with the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, form the Naval Service...
and finding trucks of potential use to the Gaddafi
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
regime. The merchant vessel was ordered to divert to Salerno
Salerno
Salerno is a city and comune in Campania and is the capital of the province of the same name. It is located on the Gulf of Salerno on the Tyrrhenian Sea....
in Italy.
On 12 May 2011, while engaged in surveillance operations off the coast of the rebel-held Libyan city of Misrata, Liverpool came under fire from a shore battery. Liverpool had been tasked with other NATO warships, to intercept small, high-speed inflatable craft spotted approaching the port of Misrata, the type which had been used previously to lay mines in the Port of Misrata. Libyan rocket artillery on the coast fired an inaccurate salvo of rockets at Liverpool. Liverpool returned fire with her 4.5 inch main gun, silencing the shore battery, in the Royal Navy's first use of the weapon since the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
.
On 28 June 2011, Liverpool used her main gun to fire warning shots at pro-Gaddafi maritime forces moving along Libya's Mediterranean coast just west of the city of Misrata, amid concerns a threat was posed to civilians due to recent repeated attempts to mine the harbour. After initially ignoring the first shell, a further three were fired and the vessels were forced to return to their port of departure.
On the morning of 3 August 2011, several rockets were fired at Liverpool. She returned heavy naval gunfire with its 4.5in main gun. The attack came after the ship had fired a barrage of illumination rounds in support of an air attack on the stronghold of Zliten
Zliten
Zliten is a town in the Misrata District of Libya. It is located on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea west of the Gulf of Sidra. It was the capital of the former Zlitan District.-Location:...
.
On 16 August 2011, Liverpool was involved in the most intense shore-bombardment of the war. Liverpool had been tasked by a patrol aircraft to fire illumination rounds over the city of Zlitan. While conducting this mission, Liverpool came under fire from a Loyalist shore-battery. Liverpool responded by firing three rounds from her 4.5 inch gun, silencing the battery. Later on the same day, a patrol aircraft spotted a large pro-Gaddafi vehicle convoy carrying weapons and ammunition. Liverpool fired 54 shells from her 4.5 inch gun at the convoy, destroying or severely damaging many of the vehicles. During the ensuing chaos on the ground, NATO aircraft destroyed the remainder of the convoy.
The ship is due to be decommissioned early 2012.
Captains
- 1997-1998 Captain David SnelsonDavid SnelsonRear Admiral David George Snelson CB is a former Royal Navy officer who became Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces.-Naval career:Snelson joined the Royal Navy in 1969...
- 1998-1999 Captain Philip WilcocksPhilip WilcocksRear Admiral Philip Lawrence Wilcocks, CB DSC is a former senior British Royal Navy officer who became Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England, Northern Ireland.-Naval:...
, CB DSC - Colin 'Dead-Eye' Williams (as of April 2011)
Affiliations
- The City of LiverpoolLiverpoolLiverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
- The Worshipful Company of PewterersWorshipful Company of PewterersThe Worshipful Company of Pewterers is a livery company of the United Kingdom. It is 16th in the order of precedence of livery companies. It has existed since at least 1348....
- LiverpoolUniversity of LiverpoolThe University of Liverpool is a teaching and research university in the city of Liverpool, England. It is a member of the Russell Group of large research-intensive universities and the N8 Group for research collaboration. Founded in 1881 , it is also one of the six original "red brick" civic...
University Royal Naval UnitUniversity Royal Naval UnitA University Royal Naval Unit is a Royal Navy training establishment connected to a university, or a number of universities concentrated in one area...
(HMS ChargerHMS ChargerSeveral ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Charger. was a that served in the Royal Navy until 1912.*HMS Charger was an escort aircraft carrier that served in World War II. Built for the US Navy, she briefly served in the Royal Navy as HMS Charger before returning to US service as USS...
) - British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
- 47(Air Defence) Regiment Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment (King's, Lancashire and Border)
- 47(Air Defence) Regiment Royal Artillery
- Combined Cadet ForceCombined Cadet ForceThe Combined Cadet Force is a Ministry of Defence sponsored youth organisation in the United Kingdom. Its aim is to "provide a disciplined organisation in a school so that pupils may develop powers of leadership by means of training to promote the qualities of responsibility, self reliance,...
(Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
) Units- Calday Grange Grammar SchoolCalday Grange Grammar SchoolCalday Grange Grammar School is a non-denominational selective state grammar school, founded in 1636, situated on Caldy Hill above the town of West Kirby on the Wirral . The school admits boys from the ages of 11 through to 18, and girls for the sixth form only...
, Wirral - Merchant Taylors' School, CrosbyMerchant Taylors' School, CrosbyMerchant Taylors' School, Crosby is a British independent school for day pupils, located in Great Crosby on Merseyside....
- Birkenhead SchoolBirkenhead SchoolBirkenhead School is an independent, selective, co-educational school located on the Wirral Peninsula in the northwest of England. It is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference.-Overview:The school is subdivided into...
, Wirral
- Calday Grange Grammar School
- Sea Cadet Corps (United Kingdom)Sea Cadet Corps (United Kingdom)The Sea Cadet Corps is a UK national youth organisation sponsored by the Royal Navy and open to young people between the ages of 10-18 years old. The SCC is the UK's largest Naval Cadet Force with over 30,000 cadets and adult volunteers...
Units- TS Merseyside
- TS Liverpool
- TS Corunna