The Type 41 or Leopard class were a class

Ship class

A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....

 of anti-aircraft defence frigate

Frigate

A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...

s built for 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...

 (4 ships) and Indian Navy

Indian Navy

The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...

 (3 ships) in the 1950s. These ships were designed to provide anti-aircraft escorts to convoys, as a result they were not built for fleet speeds and made only 24 knots (47 km/h). They shared a common hull and machinery with the Type 61 or Salisbury class

Salisbury class frigate

The Type 61 Salisbury class were a class of British aircraft direction frigates built for the Royal Navy. They were related to the Type 41 Leopard class frigates, but with reduced armament to make way for more aircraft direction equipment.-Construction Programme:Three further ships of the class...

 aircraft direction vessels. An intended anti-submarine version, the Type 11 class (see Type system of the Royal Navy

Type system of the Royal Navy

The Type system is a classification system used by the British Royal Navy to classify surface escorts by function. The system evolved in the early 1950s, when the Royal Navy was experimenting with building single-purpose escort vessels with specific roles in light of experience gained in World War II...

), was cancelled due to the low top speed being insufficient to combat contemporary adversaries, and was replaced by the turbine powered Type 12

Whitby class frigate

The Type 12 frigates of the Whitby class were a six-ship class of anti-submarine warfare frigates of the Royal Navy that entered service late in the 1950s. They were designed as first rate ocean-going convoy escorts in light of experience gained during World War II...

. HMS Jaguar and HMS Lynx were sold to the Bangladesh Navy

Bangladesh Navy

The Bangladesh Navy is the naval arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. At present the navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, however it is implementing an ambitious procurement and expansion program to ensure the security of Bangladesh's maritime boundary...

 in 1978 and 1982 respectively, and were still in service in 2007.

Construction Programme

Pennant Pennant number In the modern Royal Navy, and other navies of Europe and the Commonwealth, ships are identified by pennant numbers...	Name	(a) Hull builder (b) Main machinery manufacturers	Ordered	Laid down	Launched	Accepted into service	Commissioned	Estimated building cost	Fate
F14	HMS Leopard HMS Leopard (F14) HMS Leopard , was a Leopard-class Type 41 anti aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after the leopard....	(a) HM Dockyard, Portsmouth (b) Vickers Armstrong (Engineers) Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness (b) Peter Brotherhood Limited, Peterborough	21 August 1951	25 March 1953	23 May 1955	December 1958	30 September 1958	£3,545,000	Paid off for last time 12 December 1975. Broken up 1977.
F27	HMS Lynx HMS Lynx (F27) HMS Lynx , was a Leopard-class Type 41 anti aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named for the lynx.She was laid down by John Brown and Company, Clydebank, Scotland, on 13 August 1953, launched on 12 January 1955, and commissioned on 14 March 1957.She was transferred to the Bangladeshi Navy...	(a) John Brown and Co Ltd John Brown & Company John Brown and Company of Clydebank was a pre-eminent Scottish marine engineering and shipbuilding firm, responsible for building many notable and world-famous ships, such as the , the , the , the , the , and the... , Clydebank (b) Crossley Bros Ltd, Manchester (b) British Polar Engines Ltd, Glasgow	28 June 1951	13 August 1953	12 January 1955	14 March 1957	14 March 1957	£2,720,000	Sold to Bangladesh Bangladesh Navy The Bangladesh Navy is the naval arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. At present the navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, however it is implementing an ambitious procurement and expansion program to ensure the security of Bangladesh's maritime boundary...  12 March 1982, renamed Abu Bakr, in service 2006.
F34	HMS Puma HMS Puma (F34) HMS Puma , was a Leopard-class Type 41 anti aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named for the puma ....	(a) Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Co Ltd Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company Limited, often referred to simply as Scotts, was a Scottish shipbuilding company based in Greenock on the River Clyde.- History :... , Greenock (b) HM Dockyard, Chatham (b) British Polar Engines British Polar Engines British Polar Engines is a manufacturer of diesel engines based in Glasgow, Scotland. The company has over seventy years' experience in the manufacture and supply of spare parts for diesel engines...  Ltd, Glasgow	28 June 1951	16 November 1953	30 June 1954	April 1957	27 April 1957	£2,914,000	Paid off for last time June 1972. Broken up 1976.
F37	HMS Jaguar HMS Jaguar (F37) HMS Jaguar , was a Leopard-class Type 41 anti aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after the jaguar.The Jaguar was the last frigate built by William Denny and Brothers for the Royal Navy. Unlike the rest of her class, the Jaguar was fitted with controllable pitch propellers...	(a) Wm Denny Bros Ltd William Denny and Brothers William Denny and Brothers Limited, and often referred to simply as Denny, were a Scottish shipbuilding company.-History:The Company was founded by Peter Denny in 1840 and based in Dumbarton, on the River Clyde. Although the Denny yard was situated near the junction of the River Clyde and the River... , Dumbarton (b) Crossley Bros Ltd, Manchester	28 June 1951	2 November 1953	20 July 1957	December 1959	12 December 1959	£3,772,000	Sold to Bangladesh Bangladesh Navy The Bangladesh Navy is the naval arm of the Bangladesh Armed Forces. At present the navy is mostly limited to coastal patrolling, however it is implementing an ambitious procurement and expansion program to ensure the security of Bangladesh's maritime boundary...  6 July 1978 for £2 million, renamed Ali Haider, in service 2006.
F34	INS Brahmaputra (ex-HMS Panther)	(a) John Brown and Co Ltd, Clydebank	1954	20 October 1955	13 March 1957		31 March 1958		Ordered HMS Panther, but transferred to India 1953. Broken Up 1986.
F37	INS Beas	(a) Vickers Armstrongs (Shipbuilders) Ltd, Newcastle-on-Tyne	1954	29 November 1956	9 October 1958		24 May 1960		Broken up 1992.
F38	INS Betwa	(a) Vickers Armstrongs (Shipbuilders) Ltd, Newcastle-on-Tyne	1954	29 May 1957	15 September 1959		8 December 1960		Broken Up 1988.

A fifth Royal Navy vessel, HMS Panther was ordered twice. The first was transferred to India in 1953 before being laid down, a replacement was cancelled in 1957, before being laid down.