Type 21 frigate
Encyclopedia
The Type 21 frigate or Amazon-class frigate
was a Royal Navy
general-purpose escort designed in the late 1960s, built in the 1970s and that served throughout the 1980s into the 1990s.
and Type 22 frigate
, would not be ready until the mid-to-late 1970s. The Admiralty design board were busy with the latter, therefore the Type 21 project was given to private shipyards Vosper Thornycroft and Yarrow. The unmistakably yacht-like and rakish lines were indicative of their commercial design. Their handsome looks combined with their impressive handling and acceleration lent itself to the class nickname of Porsches
.
The design was partially funded by the Royal Australian Navy
who were planning a Light Destroyer (DDL) class of ten ships to be built at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney
. This original number was revised down to five and then three vessels. With the election of the Whitlam Labor Government
in 1972 the whole DDL program was cancelled and Australian involvement ceased.
The first of the eight built, HMS Amazon
, entered service in May 1974.
s or diesel engine
s of their predecessors. The design made use of large amounts of aluminium alloy in the superstructure to lower the amount of topweight but worries later surfaced about its resilience to fire, particularly following a major fire on Amazon in 1977 during which aluminium ladders distorted, preventing fire-fighting teams from reaching the blaze. Later warships reverted to using steel again.
As originally built, the Type 21 design made use of a lot of "off the shelf" technology, such as the old Sea Cat missile (combined with the Italian-built Alenia Orion-10X fire-control system - as the GWS-24 system), the Wasp anti-submarine helicopter, and marinized Rolls-Royce aircraft engines. Yet it also featured modern electronics such as the CAAIS (Computer Assisted Action Information System) system to integrate the ship's weapons and sensor systems and provide the crew with all the relevant information they required to fight the ship, as and when they needed it.
In terms of automation, systems integration and habitability they were well in advance of many of their older Royal Navy contemporaries, such as the Type 81 frigate and Rothesay-class frigate
, the latter of whose basic design could be traced back to 1945.
The class was also criticised for being overcrowded; however, at 384 ft (117 m) they had 177 crewmen compared to 436 ft (133 m) and just 185 crewmen for the modern Type 23 frigate
. This was important at a time when the Royal Navy was facing a manpower shortage. The standard of accommodation for the officers was better than the RN average and the senior ratings enjoyed separate cabins – unlike the petty officers of the Type 42 destroyer of the same era, who slept in bunk rooms. The ratings' accommodation was also improved, with four-man sleeping berths leading off from the communal mess deck. The accommodation arrangements (designed by a woman) were far better than those of the Type 42 destroyer. With little capability to modernise (owing to its small size) and already being close to its topweight limit, the Type 21's days were numbered. Nevertheless, these ships were regarded favorably with their crews and proved to be useful assets in a navy severely depleted in the number of modern escort hulls.
of 1982. They were heavily involved, performing extensive shore-bombardment missions and providing anti-submarine and anti-aircraft duties for the task force. Two vessels were lost, Ardent
was hit by bombs dropped by Argentine
aircraft on May 21 and was consumed by fire. HMS Antelope
was hit by bombs on May 23, one of which was set off by the bomb disposal
team attempting to defuse it on May 24, causing the ship to break her back and sink. It is highly unlikely that any ship of this size would be able to survive a direct hit from aerial bombs, and that they stayed afloat as long as they did to allow the evacuation of their crews is testament to the design.
in 1993–1994. The class was renamed by the Pakistani Navy
as the Tariq class
, after the first vessel that was acquired, the PNS Tariq, formerly . All six ships remain in service, as of 2011. They have had their Sea Cat launcher removed, as well as their Exocet missiles. Three of the ships had their Exocet missiles replaced by the more capable US-made Harpoon missile, the other three were fitted with the Chinese 6-cell LY-60N
Hunting Eagle surface-to-air missile system.
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"...
was a 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...
general-purpose escort designed in the late 1960s, built in the 1970s and that served throughout the 1980s into the 1990s.
History
The class was designed to fulfill a requirement for a relatively cheap yet modern general purpose escort vessel to fill a projected gap in the number of escort hulls in the fleet. Many older vessels were rapidly approaching the end of their useful lives yet their replacements, the Type 42 destroyerType 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...
and Type 22 frigate
Type 22 frigate
The Type 22 Broadsword class is a class of frigate built for the British Royal Navy. Fourteen of the class were built in total, with production divided into three batches. With the decommissioning of HMS Cornwall on 30 June 2011, the final Type 22 of the Royal Navy was retired from service...
, would not be ready until the mid-to-late 1970s. The Admiralty design board were busy with the latter, therefore the Type 21 project was given to private shipyards Vosper Thornycroft and Yarrow. The unmistakably yacht-like and rakish lines were indicative of their commercial design. Their handsome looks combined with their impressive handling and acceleration lent itself to the class nickname of Porsches
Porsche
Porsche Automobil Holding SE, usually shortened to Porsche SE a Societas Europaea or European Public Company, is a German based holding company with investments in the automotive industry....
.
The design was partially funded by the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
who were planning a Light Destroyer (DDL) class of ten ships to be built at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard in Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
. This original number was revised down to five and then three vessels. With the election of the Whitlam Labor Government
Whitlam Government
The Whitlam Government refers to the federal Executive Government of Australia led by Prime Minister Gough Whitlam. It was made up of members of the Australian Labor Party in the Australian Parliament from 1972 to 1975.-Background:...
in 1972 the whole DDL program was cancelled and Australian involvement ceased.
The first of the eight built, HMS Amazon
HMS Amazon (F169)
HMS Amazon was the first Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. Her keel was laid down at the Vosper Thornycroft shipyard in Southampton, England...
, entered service in May 1974.
Design
These ships were the Royal Navy's first privately designed modern frigates. They were also the first design to enter service which used solely gas-turbine propulsion, as opposed to the steam turbineSteam turbine
A steam turbine is a mechanical device that extracts thermal energy from pressurized steam, and converts it into rotary motion. Its modern manifestation was invented by Sir Charles Parsons in 1884....
s or diesel engine
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
s of their predecessors. The design made use of large amounts of aluminium alloy in the superstructure to lower the amount of topweight but worries later surfaced about its resilience to fire, particularly following a major fire on Amazon in 1977 during which aluminium ladders distorted, preventing fire-fighting teams from reaching the blaze. Later warships reverted to using steel again.
As originally built, the Type 21 design made use of a lot of "off the shelf" technology, such as the old Sea Cat missile (combined with the Italian-built Alenia Orion-10X fire-control system - as the GWS-24 system), the Wasp anti-submarine helicopter, and marinized Rolls-Royce aircraft engines. Yet it also featured modern electronics such as the CAAIS (Computer Assisted Action Information System) system to integrate the ship's weapons and sensor systems and provide the crew with all the relevant information they required to fight the ship, as and when they needed it.
In terms of automation, systems integration and habitability they were well in advance of many of their older Royal Navy contemporaries, such as the Type 81 frigate and Rothesay-class frigate
Rothesay class frigate
The Rothesay class, or Type 12M frigates were a class of frigates serving with the Royal Navy, South African Navy and the New Zealand Navy....
, the latter of whose basic design could be traced back to 1945.
Modifications
When they entered service, the Type 21s were immediately criticized for being woefully under-armed. A program was put in hand to increase their fire power by fitting 4 French-built MM38 Exocet anti-ship missiles. These were sited in front of the bridge screen aft of the forecastle, displacing the Corvus countermeasure launchers to amidships. This improvement was carried out to all ships of the class except Antelope and Ambuscade, the latter was fitted with Exocet in 1984/5. The Exocets were located in two pairs and the missiles would deploy across the ship and clear the opposite side of the vessel to their launchers in flight. This differed from the later type 22 frigates where deployment of the missiles was to the same side of the vessel as the missile pairs were fitted. The Westland Wasp, a single-role torpedo-carrying helicopter, was replaced by the vastly more capable multi-mission Westland Lynx when it became available. Ship-launched anti-submarine torpedoes were also fitted as and when ships came in for refit, in the form of two STWS-1 triple-tube launchers capable of firing United States USN/NATO-standard Mark 44 or Mark 46 torpedoes. After the Falklands War two more 20mm Oerlikon guns were mounted each side of the hangar to provide extra close-in armament on some ships of the class.Analysis
Criticism was levelled at the performance of the type in the Falklands conflict. The ships developed cracks in their decks due to the differing expansion properties of steel and aluminium. This was a vulnerability particularly demonstrated under the severe weather conditions they encountered in the South Atlantic. Steel reinforcing plates were eventually fitted down the sides of the ships. Built to an exacting budget and design specification (and although carrying obsolete anti-aircraft weaponry), they distinguished themselves in a theatre for which they were not designed.The class was also criticised for being overcrowded; however, at 384 ft (117 m) they had 177 crewmen compared to 436 ft (133 m) and just 185 crewmen for the modern Type 23 frigate
Type 23 frigate
The Type 23 frigate is a class of frigate built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. All the ships were first named after British Dukes, thus the class is also known as the Duke class. The first Type 23 was commissioned in 1989, and the sixteenth, was launched in May 2000 and commissioned in...
. This was important at a time when the Royal Navy was facing a manpower shortage. The standard of accommodation for the officers was better than the RN average and the senior ratings enjoyed separate cabins – unlike the petty officers of the Type 42 destroyer of the same era, who slept in bunk rooms. The ratings' accommodation was also improved, with four-man sleeping berths leading off from the communal mess deck. The accommodation arrangements (designed by a woman) were far better than those of the Type 42 destroyer. With little capability to modernise (owing to its small size) and already being close to its topweight limit, the Type 21's days were numbered. Nevertheless, these ships were regarded favorably with their crews and proved to be useful assets in a navy severely depleted in the number of modern escort hulls.
Active service
All of the class except Amazon, as the 4th Frigate Squadron, took part in the Falklands WarFalklands 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...
of 1982. They were heavily involved, performing extensive shore-bombardment missions and providing anti-submarine and anti-aircraft duties for the task force. Two vessels were lost, Ardent
HMS Ardent (F184)
HMS Ardent was a Royal Navy Type 21 frigate. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland. She was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position...
was hit by bombs dropped by Argentine
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
aircraft on May 21 and was consumed by fire. HMS Antelope
HMS Antelope (F170)
HMS Antelope was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy that participated in the Falklands War. Her keel was laid down 23 March 1971 by Vosper Thornycroft in Woolston, Southampton, England. Budget costs for this class were £3.5 million but actual costs exceeded £14 million...
was hit by bombs on May 23, one of which was set off by the bomb disposal
Bomb disposal
Bomb disposal is the process by which hazardous explosive devices are rendered safe. Bomb disposal is an all encompassing term to describe the separate, but interrelated functions in the following fields:*Military:...
team attempting to defuse it on May 24, causing the ship to break her back and sink. It is highly unlikely that any ship of this size would be able to survive a direct hit from aerial bombs, and that they stayed afloat as long as they did to allow the evacuation of their crews is testament to the design.
Disposal
All six of the surviving Type 21 frigates were sold to PakistanPakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
in 1993–1994. The class was renamed by the Pakistani Navy
Pakistan Navy
The Pakistan Navy is the naval warfare/service branch of the Pakistan Armed Forces. Pakistan's Navy is responsible for Pakistan's coastline along the Arabian Sea and the defense of important civilian harbors and military bases...
as the Tariq class
Tariq class frigate
The Tariq class frigates are ex-Royal Navy Type 21 frigates acquired by the Pakistan Navy from the United Kingdom in 1993-94. Although the Royal Navy classified these ships as frigates, they are classed as destroyers by the Pakistan Navy....
, after the first vessel that was acquired, the PNS Tariq, formerly . All six ships remain in service, as of 2011. They have had their Sea Cat launcher removed, as well as their Exocet missiles. Three of the ships had their Exocet missiles replaced by the more capable US-made Harpoon missile, the other three were fitted with the Chinese 6-cell LY-60N
LY-60 / FD-60 / PL10
The LY-60/FD-60/PL-11/HQ-6/6D/64 is a family of PRC missiles developed by the Shanghai Academy of Science and Technology, largely based on the Italian Alenia Aspide missile - itself a version of the American AIM-7 Sparrow missile...
Hunting Eagle surface-to-air missile system.
Ships
"A contract was awarded to Vosper Thornycroft on 27 February 1968 for the design of a patrol frigate to be prepared in full collaboration with Yarrow Ltd." They were "designed to replace the Leopard- and Salisbury-class frigates. Initial cost were to be £3.5 million but HMS Amazon actually cost" £16.8 million.| 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 | Ordered | Laid down | Launched | Accepted into service | Commissioned | Est. building cost | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F169 | Amazon HMS Amazon (F169) HMS Amazon was the first Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. Her keel was laid down at the Vosper Thornycroft shipyard in Southampton, England... |
Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston | 26 March 1969 | 6 November 1969 | 26 April 1971 | 19 July 1974 | 11 May 1974 | £16.8M | To Pakistan as Babur |
| F170 | Antelope HMS Antelope (F170) HMS Antelope was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy that participated in the Falklands War. Her keel was laid down 23 March 1971 by Vosper Thornycroft in Woolston, Southampton, England. Budget costs for this class were £3.5 million but actual costs exceeded £14 million... |
Vosper Thornycroft | 11 May 1970 | 23 March 1971 | 16 March 1972 | 30 June 1975 | 16 July 1975 | £14.4M | Bombed by Argentine A-4 Skyhawk A-4 Skyhawk The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D... s 23 May 1982 and sank following day in San Carlos Water San Carlos Water Not to be confused with the San Carlos River.San Carlos Water is a bay/fjord on the west coast of East Falkland, facing onto the Falkland Sound.-Name:... |
| F172 | Ambuscade HMS Ambuscade (F172) HMS Ambuscade was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland. She was sold to Pakistan in 1993 and is still in service as the PNS Tariq.-Service history:... |
Yarrow Shipbuilders Yarrow Shipbuilders Yarrow Limited , often styled as simply Yarrows, was a major shipbuilding firm based in the Scotstoun district of Glasgow on the River Clyde... , Scotstoun Scotstoun Scotstoun is a historic district of Glasgow, Scotland, west of Glasgow City Centre. It is bounded by Yoker and Knightswood to the west, Victoria Park, Broomhill and Whiteinch to the east, Jordanhill to the north and the River Clyde to the south... |
1971 | 1 September 1971 | 18 January 1973 | 23 August 1975 | 5 September 1975 | £16.5M | To Pakistan as Tariq |
| F173 | Arrow HMS Arrow (F173) HMS Arrow was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, she was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position.-Falklands War service:... |
YSL | 11 November 1971 | 1972 | 5 February 1974 | 16 May 1975 | 29 July 1976 | £20.2M | To Pakistan as Khaibar |
| F171 | Active HMS Active (F171) HMS Active was a of the Royal Navy. Built by Vosper Thornycroft, Southampton, England, she was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position, the first of the class to be so fitted.... |
Vosper Thornycroft | 11 May 1970 | 21 July 1971 | 23 November 1972 | 2 June 1977 | 17 June 1977 | £24.1M | To Pakistan as Shah Jahan |
| F174 | Alacrity HMS Alacrity (F174) HMS Alacrity was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, she was completed with Exocet launchers in "B" position.... |
YSL | 11 November 1971 | 5 March 1973 | 1974 | 2 April 1977 | 2 July 1977 | £23.8M | To Pakistan as Badr |
| F184 | Ardent HMS Ardent (F184) HMS Ardent was a Royal Navy Type 21 frigate. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland. She was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position... |
YSL | 11 November 1971 | 26 February 1974 | 9 May 1975 | 10 September 1977 | 14 October 1977 | £26.3M | Bombed by Argentine A-4 Skyhawks 21 May 1982 in San Carlos Water San Carlos Water Not to be confused with the San Carlos River.San Carlos Water is a bay/fjord on the west coast of East Falkland, facing onto the Falkland Sound.-Name:... and sank following day in Grantham Sound Grantham Sound Grantham Sound is a bay on East Falkland, Falkland Islands, which opens out into the Falkland Sound. At its landward end, it narrows and becomes Brenton Loch . Mount Usborne overlooks it.... |
| F185 | Avenger HMS Avenger (F185) HMS Avenger was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, she was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position.... |
YSL | 11 November 1971 | 30 October 1974 | 20 November 1975 | 15 April 1978 | 15 April 1978 | £27.7M | To Pakistan as Tippu Sultan |
Running costs
| Date | Running cost | What is included | Citation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981-82 | £6.5 million | Average annual running cost of Type 21s at average 1981–82 prices and including associated aircraft costs but excluding the costs of major refits. | |
| 1985-86 | £7 million | The average cost of running and maintaining a type 21 frigate for one year. | |
| 1987-88 | £3.8 million | The average annual operating costs, at financial year 1987-88 prices of a type 21 frigate. These costs include personnel, fuel, spares and so on, and administrative support services, but exclude new construction, capital equipment, and refit-repair costs. | |