English ships. The most powerful ship in the British Navy
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The Exocet high-precision missile flies 300 meters per second, having a mass of 600 kg at the start, of which 165 are warheads.
The projectile speed of a 15-inch gun at a distance of 9000 meters reached 570 m / s, and the mass was exactly equal to its mass at the time of the shot. 879 kilograms.
The bullet is stupid, but the armor-piercing projectile is even worse. 97% of its mass came from a solid ingot of steel. It did not matter what threat the 22 kg of shellite hid in the bottom of this outlandish ammunition represented. The main cause of the destruction was the kinetic energy of the “splash”, flying at two speeds of sound.
140 million joules of speed and fire!
In terms of firing accuracy at given distances, naval artillery was hardly inferior to high-precision missiles of our time. Specifically, for this gun (the British BL 15 "/42 Mark I cannon), a precedent is known when the battleship Warspite hit the Italian Giulio Cesare from a distance of 24 kilometers ("shot off Calabria").
The last of the British battleships, the Wangard, inherited the same wonderful guns from the unfinished Glories-class battlecruisers: the two-gun turrets lay idle for a quarter of a century until they were used in the design of the new super battleship.
Another forty years will pass, and the British will bite their elbows, regretting the monster sent for scrapping. In 1982, "Vanguard" could almost single-handedly "put things in order" in the distant Falkland Islands. If there was a battleship, the Britons would not have had to drive strategic bombers from Ascension Island and fire 8,000 shells along the coast from their miserable 114 mm “farts” that made up the artillery armament of destroyers and frigates of that era.
The powerful guns of the Vanguard would have leveled all the Argentine fortifications, sowing uncontrollable panic among the soldiers. The Gurkha battalion and the Scottish riflemen had only to land and spend the night on a cold island in order to accept the surrender of the Argentine garrison by morning.
For such purposes, the British developed a whole line of high-explosive 381 mm shells containing from 59 to 101 kg of explosives (more than in the warhead of the Exocet rocket). It is worth noting that, unlike modern ships, whose strike armament consists of several dozen missiles, the battleship's ammunition load included 100 rounds for each of the eight guns!
The Vanguard itself and its crew did not risk anything. The ancient battleship turned out to be perfectly adapted to the realities of that war. The Exocet supermissiles, which hit the ships in the most radio-contrasting place (the hull, just above the waterline), would have run into the most protected part of the battleship. An outer 35 cm armored belt that would crack plastic warheads like empty nuts. Still would! The Vanguard was designed to withstand the monstrous armor-piercing "pigs" - like those that flew out of its barrels.
All around tinted armored
Yes, everything could have been different ... Moreover, the maintenance and conservation of the ancient battleship for two decades would have cost a penny, in comparison with the Sheffield destroyer that burned down from an unexploded rocket.
I would not like to turn an article about such an interesting ship into an alternative farce, so let's turn to the main topic of the question. To what extent did the last of the battleships correspond to the title of “crown of evolution” for ships of this class?
Technique for victory
"Vangard" captivates with its simplicity and seriousness of intentions, as in wartime conditions. Without overly refined movements and meaningless technical records. Where it was possible to save, they saved. Moreover, all the simplifications - forced or conceived on purpose, only benefited the battleship.
However, the timing of the construction of the battleship played a significant role in this. "Vangard" was put into operation only in 1946. Its design embodies the entire combat experience of both world wars, coupled with the latest achievements in technical progress (automation, radar, etc.).
They laugh at him that he has towers from the battlecruisers of the First World War. But if you figure out what a few millimeters and percentages mean, expressing the mass and firing range, when dozens of interchangeable barrels for this caliber are stored in warehouses. You can shoot until blue, there will be no problems with spare parts. The creators of Vanguard received these guns practically for free, from another era. Given that progress in naval artillery had not advanced much in the two decades between the world wars, and the British 381 mm gun itself was remarkable for all time
The old towers were still modernized. The 229 mm frontal part was replaced by a new 343 mm thick plate. The roof was also strengthened, where the thickness of the armor increased from 114 to 152 mm. There is no hope that some pathetic 500-pound bomb will be able to overcome such an obstacle. Even if it's 1000 pounds...
It is better to pay attention to such little-known facts, thanks to which the Vanguard could be considered an ideal battleship in terms of price / efficiency / quality ratio.
For example, the British abandoned the requirement to ensure shooting in the nose at a zero elevation angle of the main caliber barrels. What seemed important completely lost its meaning by the mid-40s. And the battleship only benefited.
A significant rise in the hull at the stem made the Vanguard the king of stormy latitudes. British lane 30 knots. in any weather, but even more surprisingly, its bow and fire control devices remained “dry”. The Americans were the first to talk about this feature, noting the better seaworthiness of the Vanguard compared to the Iowa during their joint maneuvers in the Atlantic.
Descent "Wangard" on the water
And here is another little-known fact: the Vanguard was the only battleship of its kind, adapted to operate in any climatic conditions - from the tropics to the polar seas. All of its cockpits and combat posts received steam heating, along with standard air conditioning systems. The compartments with high-precision equipment installed in them (radio electronics, analog computers) were the most demanding in terms of temperature conditions.
3000 tons. It was this displacement reserve that was spent on anti-fragmentation armor! Along with its predecessors (LK type "King George V") "Vangard" did not have a conning tower. Instead of an "officer's shelter" with half a meter steel walls, all the armor was evenly spent on numerous anti-fragmentation bulkheads (25 ... 50 mm), which protected all combat posts in the superstructure.
Smooth, straight, as if carved from granite, the wall forming the front part of the Vanguard superstructure was ... a metal wall, 7.5 centimeters thick (like the width of the head of a railroad rail!).
What seemed dubious in terms of classic naval duels (a single "stray" projectile could "decapitate" a ship, killing all senior officers), became a brilliant find in the era of aviation and air attack. Even if you “cover” the battleship with a hail of 500-lb. bombs, then most of the combat posts in the superstructure will remain in their own interests. As well as the two hundred sailors who were on duty.
Other amazing facts about the world's last battleship?
Vanguard had 22 radars. At least as many radars should have been installed according to the project.
Listing them is a pleasure.
Two Type 274 main fire control radars (bow and stern).
Four American KDP of the Mark-37 air defense system, placed according to the “rhombus” scheme (with two-coordinate English Type 275 radars that determined the range and elevation of the target).
Each of the eleven Bofors anti-aircraft installations was supposed to have its own fire control post, equipped with a Type 262 radar. Naturally, this was not done in peacetime. The only one who received his own FCS on a gyro-stabilized platform with a radar placed on it, working in tandem with an analog computer, was the STAAG anti-aircraft gun on the roof of the second main turret.
Further. General detection radar “Type 960” (at the top of the main mast). Radar for tracking the horizon “Type 277” (on the spreader of the foremast). An additional radar for issuing target designation “Type 293” (on the foremast), as well as a pair of navigation radars “Type 268” and “Type 930”.
Of course, all this was not ideal: the radar signals clashed with each other, clogging the frequencies and reflected from the superstructures. However, the level of technology achieved is impressive...
Over time, the battleship's electronic equipment complex has continuously developed and evolved: new transponders of “friend or foe” systems, radiation detectors, antennas of communication and jamming systems have appeared.
Anti-aircraft weapons "Vanguard". About how “aircraft defeated battleships”, tell someone else. The Vanguard anti-aircraft battery consisted of 10 six-barreled Bofors mounts (power drive, clip-on power), one double-barreled STAAG anti-aircraft gun (barrels from Bofors, own MSA) and 11 single-barreled Bofors Mk.VII assault rifles.
A total of 73 barrels of 40 mm caliber. With the most advanced fire control systems at that time.
The British prudently refused to use small-caliber Oerlikons.
The author deliberately did not mention the "long-range air defense" of the battleship, which consisted of 16 twin universal guns of 133 mm caliber. It is worth recognizing that the British sailors were left without long-range air defense, because. this system turned out to be an extremely unfortunate choice.
However, any universal guns (even those that fired projectiles with radar fuses) were of little value in an era when aircraft speeds were already very close to the speed of sound. But the American 127 mm "universal" had at least a relatively high rate of fire (12-15 rds / min.), While British guns with separate loading in practice fired only 7-8 shots per minute.
The only consoling factor was the enormous power of 133 mm guns, whose shells were close in mass to those of six-inch guns (36.5 kg versus 50), which ensured sufficient effectiveness in naval combat (after all, the Vanguard, like all Anglo-Saxon battleships, did not have an average caliber), and also had a greater reach in height. In addition, such a weapon could be very useful when shelling the coast.
Anti-torpedo protection. Another interesting point.
The British coolly assessed the threat and came to the obvious conclusions. The anti-torpedo protection of the King George V-class battleships turned out to be complete trash. Moreover, any, even the most advanced PTZ, does not guarantee protection against torpedoes. Underwater explosions, like hammer blows, crush the ship's hull, causing extensive flooding and damage to mechanisms from strong shocks and vibrations.
"Vanguard" did not become a record holder in the field of PTZ. his defense, in general, repeated the scheme used on the battleships of the "King George V" type. The width of the PTZ reached 4.75 m, decreasing in the area of the stern towers of the Civil Code to “ridiculous” 2.6 ... 3 m. The only thing that could save the British sailors was that all the longitudinal bulkheads that were part of the PTZ system were extended up to the middle deck. This was supposed to increase the zone of expansion of gases, reducing the destructive effect of the explosion.
But the main thing is not this. Vanguard is a champion in combat stability and damage control systems.
An advanced pumping and counter-flooding system that absorbed all the experience of the war years, six independent energy and damage control posts, four 480 kW turbo generators and four 450 kW diesel generators located in eight compartments dispersed along the entire length of the ship. For comparison, the American "Iows" had only two emergency diesel generators of 250 kW each (for the sake of justice, the "Americans" had two echelons of power plants and eight main turbogenerators).
Further: alternation of boiler rooms and turbine compartments in a “staggered order”, spacing of lines of internal and external shafts from 10.2 to 15.7 meters, remote hydraulic control of steam pipeline valves, ensuring turbine operation even in case of complete (!) flooding of turbine compartments .. .
- from the movie "Sea Battle"”
Epilogue
It would be extremely incorrect to make a direct comparison of Vanguard with Tirpitz or Littorio. Not the level of knowledge and technology. It is older than Yamato by almost five years and longer than the American South Dakota by 50 meters.
In the situation in which the heroes of previous years died (the sinking of the Bismarck or the heroic death of the Yamato), he would have scattered his opponents like puppies and left with a 30-knot move to safe waters.
Along with the Iowa, the British Vanguard is the recognized crown of evolution for the entire indicated class of ships. But, unlike the high-speed battleships of the US Navy, bursting with American vanity and prosperity, this ship turned out to be a ferocious fighter, whose design is fully adequate to the tasks before it.
By the beginning of the 1980s. Great Britain has not been the greatest maritime power for a long time, nevertheless, the country had a very significant navy, which included the fleet itself, naval aviation and marines. The Navy included submarine and surface forces. The first consisted of four squadrons: one - nuclear missile carriers, two - nuclear multi-purpose and one - diesel submarines. The second consisted of two flotillas of escort ships (each consisted of three squadrons of frigates and one destroyer), and the third flotilla included two light aircraft carriers, landing helicopter dock ships and one destroyer. Here it is necessary to make a reservation: the British classification of ships at that time looked very peculiar. For example, representatives of the type "County" and type 82 were officially listed as light cruisers, and representatives of the type 22 were classified either as frigates or as destroyers.
According to experts, the Royal Navy clearly lacked landing ships, which did not allow the deployment of a large group of ground forces over 7,000 miles from the British Isles. However, this problem was solved by attracting mobilized and requisitioned ships of the merchant fleet.
The scarcity of the strike component of naval aviation - the Sea Harrier FRS.1 VTOL aircraft - was partly compensated by the fact that Harrier GR.3 Air Force aircraft were used from the deck of an aircraft carrier. In addition, strategic bombers from the Air Force were used to attack the islands occupied by the Argentines. Also, in the interests of the fleet, base patrol aircraft operated.
As a result of the conflict, it was noted that the personnel of the armed forces of Great Britain demonstrated a fairly high level of combat training. The superiority of British military professionals over Argentine conscripts, and the generally higher level of training of both officers and privates, also affected.
The operation to restore British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia was called "Corporate". Prime Minister M. Thatcher took over the general leadership, the operational leadership was entrusted to the First Sea Lord, Admiral D. Fieldhouse. Two operational formations were formed: TF.317 (main forces) and TF.324 (submarine forces).
Rear Admiral D. Woodward, who had previously headed the 1st Flotilla of surface ships, became the commander of the TF.317 task force. It is worth noting that, according to him, quite a few very competent people and serious organizations doubted the success of the operation from the very beginning. Among them were:
Experts and senior officers of the US Navy, who believed that the return of the Falklands by military means was impossible;
the British Ministry of Defense, which regarded the whole undertaking as too risky;
Part of the army command, which considered the actions reckless due to the unfavorable numerical balance of forces on land;
The Royal Air Force, which considered its capabilities limited due to the great remoteness of the area and feared that this leaves the fleet no chance to resist enemy aircraft;
Secretary of Defense J. Nott. The fact is that the success of the operation could refute all his arguments in favor of reducing the Navy, set out in the Defense Review in 1981.
Despite any difficulties, already on April 5, the first echelon of TE317 left Portsmouth. By April 25, the advanced forces approached South Georgia, and by April 29, the main forces were already at the Falkland Islands. The second train left Portsmouth on 9 May and arrived in the war zone by 26 May. In addition, some warships arrived on their own, while auxiliary and transport ships arrived as part of small convoys.
After the end of hostilities, additional ships and transport ships were sent to the South Atlantic.
ß The names of British ships contain the abbreviation "HMS", which means "Her Majesty Ship" (Her Majesty Ship). It should be borne in mind that, according to a long-established tradition, the British also designate their ships and vessels according to departmental affiliation.
A few common abbreviations in English literature are:
RN (Royal Navy) - Royal Navy,
RFA (Royal Fleet Auxiliary) - Royal Naval Auxiliary Service,
RMS (Royal Mail Service) - Royal Postal Service,
RMAS (Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service) - Royal Auxiliary Fleet,
FAA (Fleet Air Army) - Fleet BSC,
RAF (Royal Air Fleet) - Royal BBC,
TEZ (Total Exclusion Zone) - a no-navigation zone (a 200-mile zone around the islands, declared a war zone).
Centaur-class aircraft carrier
Displacement: total - 28,700 tons, standard - 23,900 tons. Dimensions: 226.9 x 27.4 (48.8) x 8.7 m.
EU: steam turbine; two Parsons turbines of 38,000 hp, four Admiralty boilers. Two propellers. Speed: 28 knots
Cruising range: 6000 miles at 20 knots.
Crew: 1071 people + 350 air group (as of 1983).
Armament: SAM "Sea Cat" 2x4 RPU GWS 22.
Aviation (at the time of entering the conflict area): 18 helicopters
"Sea King", 12 VTOL "Sea Harrier".
Radar 965 - detection of air targets with a single antenna system of the AKE-1 type;
Radar 993 - detection and identification of surface targets; Ryas 1006 - navigational; podkilny GAS 184.
"Hermes" (R-12)
Laid down: 21/6/1944, Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow-in-Furness Launched: 16/2/1953 Commissioned: 18/11/1959
During the service, a number of refurbishments and upgrades took place. The VTOL carrier became after May 1981.
In the conflict zone since 25.4.1982 (captain L.E. Middleton).
The flagship of the British Task Force.
At the time of the outbreak of hostilities, it carried aircraft from the 800th squadron and nine helicopters each from the 826th and 846th squadrons. May 17 - 20 received four more "Sea Harrier" from the 809th squadron to replenish the 800th, as well as six "Harrier" GR.3 from the 1st Fighter Squadron of the Air Force. Additional helicopters arrived on the ship from transports as needed.
According to official British data, during the conflict, the pilots of the Hermes air group destroyed 18 aircraft (16 aircraft and 2 helicopters) of the enemy, they “divided” two more (the helicopter with the pilots of the 801 squadron, and the aircraft with the anti-aircraft gunners of the FR “Ardent "). The pilots also damaged the trawler (reconnaissance ship) "Narwal", the naval transport "Bahía Buen Suceso", the transport ship "Rio Carcarana" and the patrol boat "Rio Iguaza". All these units were later destroyed by other forces.
Own losses amounted to two Sea Harrier aircraft, of which one was killed in an accident and one was shot down by Argentine anti-aircraft gunners. Four "Harrier" GR.3s were also lost, of which one was killed due to a technical malfunction, and the rest were shot down by enemy air defenses. The 826th squadron lost two helicopters as a result of accidents, the 846th - also two and also as a result of accidents. Another "Sea King" from this squadron was destroyed by its crew after an emergency landing in Chile during a special mission.
The aircraft carrier was decommissioned on 12/4/1984, excluded from the fleet on 1/7/1985. Sold to India 19/4/1986, renamed "Viraat". Currently in service, awaiting replacement.
Invincible-class light aircraft carriers
Displacement: total - 19,810 tons, standard - 16,000 tons. Dimensions: 206.6 x 31.9 x 7.9 m.
Power plant: gas turbine, four Rolls-Royce Olympus TMZV turbines of 28,000 hp each. Two propellers. Speed: 28 knots
Cruising range: 5000 miles at 18 knots. Crew: 1000 people (data in reference literature and on Internet sites vary greatly. The most reliable as of 1982 can be considered the following configuration option: 725 crew members of the ship and 365 people in the air group). Armament: SAM "Sea Cat" 1x2 RPU GWS 30, ammunition 22 SAM. Aviation (at the time of entering the conflict zone): 11 "Sea King", 8 "Sea Harrier".
Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 1022 - detection of air targets;
Radar 992R - detection and identification of surface targets;
two radars 1006 - navigational;
two radars 909 - control of the Sea Cat air defense system;
podkilnaya GAS 2016.
"Invincible" (R-05)
Laid down: 20/7/1973, Vickers Shipbuilding Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness Launched: 8/5/1977 Commissioned: 11/7/1980
In the conflict zone since 25.4.1982 (captain J.J. Black).
At the time of the outbreak of hostilities, it carried aircraft from the 801 squadron and helicopters from the 820 squadron. On May 17 - 20, he received four more vehicles from the 809th squadron for the 801st. Additional helicopters arrived on the ship from transports as needed.
According to official British data, during the conflict, the pilots of the Invincible air group destroyed eight and a half enemy aircraft (eight aircraft + a helicopter shared with the pilots of the 800th squadron). Own losses amounted to four Sea Harrier VTOL aircraft, of which three were killed in accidents and one was shot down by Argentine anti-aircraft gunners.
Later he participated in various military and "police" operations: in the Adriatic Sea (bombing the positions of the Bosnian Serbs in 1995), in the Persian Gulf in 1998. In 1999, he took part in the hostilities against Yugoslavia. Transferred to the reserve on 3.8.2005.
"Illustrious" (R-06)
Laid down: 10/7/1976, Swan Hunter, River Tyne Launched: 12/1/1981 Commissioned: 6/20/1982
After the start of the conflict with Argentina, work on the ship was carried out with maximum intensity, its commissioning took place much earlier than planned. The completed ship immediately departed for the South Atlantic, arriving in the Falkland Islands in August. Replaced the departed in the metropolis "Invincible". After returning to his homeland in 1983, some work was completed on Illustrious, and on March 20 he was formally enlisted in the Navy.
As of 2006, the ship was in service.
Nuclear submarines such as "Churchill" and "Valiant"
Displacement: submerged - 4900 tons, standard - 4400 tons.
Dimensions: 86.9 x: 10.1 x 8.2 m.
EU: atomic; Rolls-Royce type PWR1 water-cooled reactor; two English Electric steam turbines, 7500 hp each One propeller. Auxiliary power plant: diesel-electric. One Paxton diesel generator, one PED, 112-cell battery. Speed: 28 knots submerged, 20 knots. - in the surface. Immersion depth: 230 m (maximum - 300 m). Crew: 103 people.
Armament: 6 - 533-mm torpedoes for Mk 8 or Mk 24 torpedoes and Sub Harpoon anti-ship missiles. Ammunition - 26 torpedoes or anti-ship missiles. Instead of torpedoes, they can take mines. Radio-electronic equipment: radar 1006 - navigational; GAS 2001, 2007, 197, 183.
Conqueror (S-48)
Laid down: 5/1/1967, Cammell Laird, Birkenhead Launched: 18/8/1969 Commissioned: 9/11/1971
In the conflict zone since 16.4.1982 (Commander S.K. Wreford-Brown).
April 30, southeast of the Falkland Islands, outside the so-called "200-mile zone" the submarine noticed the Argentine cruiser "General Belgrano". The commander of the Task Force, Rear Admiral J. S. Woodward, ordered the sinking of the enemy ship. The message was intercepted at Northwood, the command center of the Royal Navy. The British government, after a debate, confirmed this order.
On May 2, the Conqueror fired three Mk 8 torpedoes at the cruiser, two of which hit the target. Soon the General Belgrano began to sink rapidly and was abandoned by the crew, with 323 people killed.
After the sinking of the enemy ship, the submarine did not participate in active hostilities, monitoring Argentine aircraft taking off from the mainland.
The submarine was transferred to the reserve on 2/8/1990. Awaits cutting into metal.
"Courageous" (S-50)
Laid down: 15/5/1968 Vickers Shipbuildings Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness Launched: 7/3/1970 Commissioned: 16/10/1971
In the conflict zone from 30/5/1982 (Commander R.T.N. Best). The submarine was transferred to the reserve on 04/10/1992. It is currently a museum ship in Devonport.
Valiant (S-102)
Laid down: 22/1/1962, Vickers Shipbuildings Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness Launched: 3/12/1963 Commissioned: 18/7/1966
In the conflict zone from 16/5/1982 (Commander T.M. Le Marchand). The submarine was transferred to the reserve on 12/8/1994. Awaits cutting into metal.
Swiftsure-class nuclear submarines
Displacement: submerged - 4500 tons, standard surface - 4200 tons. Dimensions: 82.9 x 9.8 x 8.2 m.
EU: atomic; water-cooled reactor Rolls-Royce type PWR 1 mod P2; two General Electric steam turbines of 7500 hp each One propeller.
Auxiliary power plant: one Paxman diesel, 4000 hp
Emergency power plant: diesel-electric; diesel generator, one
HED, storage battery of 112 cells.
Speed: 30 knots submerged, 18 knots. - in the surface.
Immersion depth: 300 m (maximum - 400 m).
Crew: 97 people.
Armament: 5 - 533-mm TA for torpedoes Mk 8 or Mk 24 and anti-ship missiles "Sub Harpoon". Ammunition - 20 torpedoes or anti-ship missiles. Instead of torpedoes, they can take mines. > Radio-electronic equipment: radar 1006 - navigational; GAS 2001, 2007, 197, 183.
"Spartan" (S-105)
Laid down: 26/4/1976, Vickers Shipbuildings Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness Launched: 7/5/1978 Commissioned: 22/9/1979
In the conflict zone since 12/4/1982 (Commander J.B. Taylor).
The first ship of the British Navy to enter the war zone. Found an Argentine mine-laying transport ship in Port Stanley harbor, but did not receive an order to attack it. During the campaign, he performed reconnaissance and observation tasks.
The submarine was transferred to the reserve in January 2006.
Splendid (S-106)
Laid down: 11/23/1977, Vickers Shipbuildings Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness Launched: 10/5/1979 Commissioned: 3/21/1981
In the conflict zone since 19/4/1982 (commander R.C. Lane-Nott). During the campaign, she performed reconnaissance and observation tasks.
In the late 1990s, she became the first British submarine equipped with American-made Tomahawk missiles. During the war in Yugoslavia, she participated in the shelling of Belgrade. She also used rocket weapons during the second Gulf War. Transferred to the reserve in 2003.
Oberon-class submarine
Displacement: submerged - 2410 tons, surfaced - 2030 tons, standard - 1610 tons. Dimensions: 90 x 8.1 x 5.5 m.
EU: diesel-electric; two Admiralty Standard Range 16WS AS21 diesel engines with 1840 hp each; two English Electric motors of 3000 hp each Two groups of accumulator batteries on 240 elements. Two propellers.
Speed: 17 knots submerged, 12 knots. - in the surface, 10 knots. - under RDP. Diving depth: 200 m.
Cruising range: 9000 miles surfaced. Crew: 69 people.
Armament: 8 - 533-mm TA (two aft ones were later dismantled), ammunition 24 torpedoes Mk 8 or Mk 24. Instead of torpedoes, it can take mines. Radio-electronic equipment: radar 1006 - navigational; GAS 2001, 2007, 187.
Laid down: 11/16/1964, Cammell Laird, Birkenhead Launched: 8/18/1966 Commissioned: 11/20/1967
In the zone of conflict since 28.5.1982 (Lieutenant-Commander A. O. Johnson).
The only non-nuclear submarine Royal Navy, which participated in the conflict. A small displacement compared to the nuclear submarine made it a convenient means for delivering reconnaissance and sabotage groups of special forces in shallow waters, including off the coast of Argentina proper.
The submarine was transferred to the reserve in 1991. Exhibited in Birkenhead as a memorial ship. In 2006, a transfer to Barrow-in-Furness was supposed.
Destroyers of the type "County"
Displacement: total - 6200 tons, standard - 5440 tons. Dimensions: 158.7 x 16.5 x 6.3 m.
EU: combined steam-gas turbine according to the COSAG scheme (Combination of Steam and Gas); two Babcock & Wilson steam turbines of 15,000 hp, four G.6 gas turbines of 7500 hp Two propeller shafts. Speed: 30 knots
Cruising range: 4000 miles at 28 knots. Crew: 471 people.
Armament: SCRC "Exocet" 4x1 PU anti-ship missiles MM38; SAM "Seaslug" 2x1 PU Mk 2, ammunition 36 SAM; SAM "Sea Cat" 2x4 RPU GWS22, ammunition 32 SAM; 1x2 4.5745 AU Mk 6; 2x1 20-mm AU "Oerlikon";
2x3 324 mm TA Mk 32, 12 Mk 46 torpedoes. Aviation: one Wessex helicopter. Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 278 - control over the air situation; Radar 993 - fire control;
Radar 1022 - search;
Radar 901 - control of the Seaslug air defense system;
Radar 904 - control of the Sea Cat air defense system;
Radar 1006 - navigational;
podkilny GAS 184M.
"Antrim" (D-18)
Laid down: 1/20/1966, Fairfield, Govin Launched: 10/19/967 Commissioned: 7/14/1970
In the conflict zone since 17.4.1982 (captain B.G. Young).
It was the flagship of the TF.60 formation during Operation Paraquat (liberation of South Georgia, April 1982). His onboard helicopter "Wessex" (from the 737th squadron) took part in a successful attack on the Argentine submarine "Santa Fe". On May 21, the EM was hit by an unexploded 1000-lb bomb (dropped by a Dagger aircraft from the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group).
In 1984, the ship was transferred to the reserve. Sold to Chile 22/6/1984, renamed "Almirante Cochrane" Withdrawn from the fleet 22.9.2006.
"Glamorgan" (D-19)
Laid down: 13/9/1962, Vickers Armstrong, Newcastle upon Tyne Launched: 9/7/1964 Commissioned: 11/10/1966
In the conflict zone since 25.4.1982 (captain M.E. Barrow).
During the shelling of Argentine positions near Port Stanley on May 1, he received light damage as a result of a close explosion of two 500-pound bombs dropped by a Dagger aircraft from the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group.
Being about 18 miles from the coast in the Port Stanley area, on June 12 at 6.37, it was hit by an Exoset anti-ship missile fired from a ground installation. The rocket that pierced the port side of the ship did not explode, but ricocheted into the hangar, destroying the Wessex helicopter and causing a massive fire. As a result, 13 people died and 17 were injured. By 10:00 the fire was extinguished. After returning to Portsmouth, the ship was under repair for a long time.
The EM participated in a peacekeeping mission in Lebanon in 1984. Transferred to the reserve in 1986. Sold to Chile in September 1986, renamed Almirante Latorre. Withdrawn from the fleet at the end of 1998. Sunk in December 2005 while being towed for scrapping.
Type 82 destroyer
Displacement: total - 7100 tons, standard - 6100 tons. Dimensions: 154.5 x 16.8 x 5.2 m (draft according to GAS - 7 m). EU: combined steam-gas turbine according to the COSAG scheme (Combination of Steam and Gas); two Admiralty Standard Range steam turbines of 15,000 hp each, two boilers, two Bristol-Siddeley Marine Olympus TM1A gas turbines of 15,000 hp each. Two propeller shafts. Speed: 29 knots
Cruising range: 5000 miles at 18 knots. Crew: 407 people.
Armament: SAM "Sea Darb 1x2 RPU, ammunition 30 missiles;
PLRK "Ikara" 1x1 PU, 40 PLUR GWS 40;
1x1 4.5755 AU Mk 8;
2x1 20mm Oerlikon gun Mk 7.
Aviation: landing area for one Wasp helicopter. Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 965M - detection of air targets with a double antenna system of the AKE-2 type;
Radar 992 - detection and identification of surface targets; two radars 909 - control of the Sea Dart air defense system; Radar 1006 - navigational; GAS 162, 170, 182, 184, 185, 189.
"Bristol" (D-23)
Laid down: 11/15/1967, Swan Hunter Ltd., Wallsend Launched: 6/30/1969 Commissioned: 3/31/1973
In the conflict zone since 23/5/1982 (captain A. Grose).
Bristol was designed as an escort destroyer for aircraft carriers of the CVA-01 project. After the closure of the program for their construction, he remained the only representative of his type. The ship was included in the task force due to the fact that it was armed with the Sea Dart air defense system.
The EM was withdrawn from active service in 1991. Since 1987, it has been used as a training ship for the Sea Cadets and Sea Scouts.
Type 42 destroyers ("Sheffield")
Displacement: total - 4100 tons, standard - 3500 tons. Dimensions: 125 x 14.3 x 5.8 m.
Power plant: combined gas turbine COGOG (Combined Gas and Gas), two afterburning gas turbines Rolls-Royce Olympus TMZV of 28,000 hp each, two propulsion gas turbines Rolls-Royce Tupe RM1A of 4250 hp. Two shafts. Speed: 29 knots
Cruising range: 4000 miles at 18 knots. Crew: 268 people.
Armament: SAM "Sea Dart" 1x2 RPU, ammunition 24 SAM GWS 30;
1x1 4.5755 AU Mk 8;
2x1 20-mm AU "Oerlikon" GAM-B01;
2x3 324 mm TA Mk 32, 12 Mk 46 torpedoes (except Sheffield). Aviation: Lynx Mk 2 helicopter. Electronic equipment:
Radar 965R - detection of air targets with a double antenna system of the AKE-2 type;
Radar 992Q - detection and identification of surface targets;
Radar 1022 - search (on D-89);
two radars 909 - control of the Sea Dart air defense system;
Radar 1006 - navigational;
underwing GAS 184M, 162.
Although the Type 42 ships that participated in the war belonged to two different series, the differences between them are very small.
1st series "Cardiff" (D-108)
Laid down: 6/11/1972, Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, Barrow-in-Furness
Launched: 2/22/1974 Commissioned: 9/24/1979
In the conflict zone since 23.5.1982 (captain M.G.T. Harris).
Due to failures in the exchange of information between the army and the navy, on June 4, the Sea Dart missile defense system shot down a British army Gazelle helicopter from the 656 squadron from the destroyer, killing four people (two pilots and two passengers).
In 1991, EM participated in the Gulf War. Withdrawn from the fleet 14/7/2005 in Portsmouth. Currently awaiting sale.
Glasgow (D-88)
Laid down: 16/5/1974, Swan Hunter Shipyard, Wallsend Launched: 14/4/1976 Commissioned: 25/5/1977
In the conflict zone since 20.4.1982 (captain A.R. Hoddinott).
On the night of May 2, Sea Squa anti-ship missiles fired by helicopters with EM Glasgow and Coventry seriously damaged the Argentine corvette (patrol ship) Alférez Sobral.
On May 12, while on patrol together with the Brilliant FR, which ensured the destruction of aircraft at short distances with Sea Wolf missiles, at about 13.45, the ships were attacked by Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 5th fighter-bomber group. During the first attack on Glasgow, the Sea Dart air defense system failed. Through the efforts of "Brilliant" three aircraft were shot down. During the attack of the second wave, problems arose already on the frigate - the Sea Wolf air defense system failed. As a result, the destroyer was hit by a 1,000-pound bomb, which pierced the ship from one side to the other, but did not explode. None of the crew was hurt. Due to the damage received, the Glasgow had to be sent to England for repairs; he became the first ship to return home.
The plane that hit the destroyer did not survive that day. While returning to the base in Rio Gallego, their group was fired upon by Argentine anti-aircraft artillery in the Goose Green area. The attack aircraft was shot down, its pilot was killed.
EM was transferred to the reserve on 1.2.2005. Awaiting sale.
"Coventry" (D-118)
Laid down: 29/1/1973, Cammell Laird and Company, Birkenhead Launched: 21/6/1974 Commissioned: 20/10/1978
In the conflict zone since 20.4.1982 (captain D. Hart-Dyke).
On May 2, Lynx took part in the attack on the corvette Alférez Sobral from the destroyer. On May 9, a Sea Dart missile shot down an Argentine Puma SA.330L helicopter from the 601st Army Aviation Battalion (CAB 601). ■
On the morning of May 25 at 9.30, the Sea Dart air defense missile system shot down a Skyhawk from the 5th fighter-bomber group. At 12.45 - another "Skyhawk" from the 4th Fighter-Bomber Group. At 15.20 Coventry was hit by three bombs dropped by Skyhawk aircraft from the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group (during the same attack, the Broadsword FR was damaged). An hour and a half later, the EM capsized and sank along with its helicopter. 18 people were killed and 30 more were injured. One of the wounded died a few months later.
Sheffield (D-80)
Laid down: 15/1/1970, Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering, Barrow-in-Furness
Launched: 10/6/1971 Commissioned: 16/2/1975
8 conflict zone from 20.4.1982 (captain S. Salt).
On May 4, at about 11.00, the Exocet AM39 anti-ship missile, fired by one of the two Super Etendards from the 2nd Fighter Assault Squadron, was hit. The aircraft took off from the Rio Grande Air Force Base. The missile was fired from a distance of 6 (Argentine data) to 30 (British) miles. It was detected by the destroyer's obsolete radar (965 radar) 5 seconds before the hit, which did not allow any evasive maneuvers. The second missile was supposedly fired at the Yarmouth frigate, but did not hit the target.
The Exocet hit amidships approximately 8 feet above the waterline. The official report from the Department of Defense states that the rocket's warhead did not detonate, although many crew members claim that there was an explosion.
After the rocket hit, the unspent fuel ignited, resulting in a severe fire, the fight against which was complicated by the failure of electric generators and damage to water lines. After unsuccessful attempts to cope with the fire, the order was given to abandon the ship. The crew took "Arrow" and "Yarmouth". 20 people died, 24 more were injured and burned.
On May 9, Yarmouth received orders to move the burnt-out destroyer hull out of TEZ. While being towed on 10 May in severe weather, the Sheffield sank at 53°04" S, 56°56" W, becoming the first Royal Navy ship to die in 40 years.
2nd series "Exeter" (D-89)
Laid down: 22/7/1976, Swan Hunter Shipyard, Wallsend Launched: 25/4/1978 Commissioned: 19/9/1980
In the conflict zone since 19.5.1982 (captain N.M. Balfour).
Arrived from Caribbean Bay, replacing the lost Sheffield. During the fighting, the Sea Dart air defense system shot down four Argentine aircraft: on May 30 - two Skyhawks from the 4th fighter-bomber group; June 7 - used as a photo reconnaissance "Learjet" from the 1st transport group; June 13 - Canberra bomber from the 2nd bomber group (the last Argentine aircraft destroyed during the conflict).
EM participated in the "Gulf War" in 1991. Currently - in the ranks.
Type 22 ("Broadsword") frigates
Displacement: total - 4000 tons, standard - 3500 tons. Dimensions: 131.2 x 14.8 x 6 m.
Power plant: COGOG (Combined Gas and Gas) combined gas turbine, two Rolls-Royce Olympus TMZV afterburner gas turbines of 28,000 hp each, two Rolls-Royce Thule propulsion gas turbines
Cruising range: 4500 miles at 18 knots. Crew: 223 (250) people.
Armament: SCRC "Exocet" 4x1 PU anti-ship missiles MM38 GWS 50; SAM "Sea Wolf" 2x6 PU GWS 25, ammunition 32 SAM; 2x1 40mm/bO AU;
2x3 324-mm TA Mk 32, ammunition 12 Mk 46 torpedoes. Aviation: two helicopters "Lynx" Mk 2. Electronic equipment:
Radar 967, 968 - detection of air and surface targets; two radars 910 - control of the Sea Wolf air defense system; Radar 1006 - navigational; podkilnaya GAS 2006.
"Brilliant" (F-90)
Laid down: 3/25/1977, Yarrow Ltd., Glasgow Launched: 12/15/1978 Commissioned: 5/15/1981
In the conflict zone since 20.4.1982 (captain J.F. Coward).
During the hostilities, the frigate's helicopters participated in the successful attack on the Argentine submarine "Santa Fe". "Brilliant" was the first of the British ships to use the Sea Wolf air defense system in combat operations, shooting down three enemy aircraft on May 12 (two Skyhawk attack aircraft - directly, the third fell into the water during an anti-missile maneuver). On May 21 and 23, near San Carlos, it was attacked by Dagger aircraft of the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group and was slightly damaged by airborne weapon fire.
On May 22, a helicopter from a frigate discovered the Monsunen coaster captured by the Argentines in April. After an attempt to board the ship by a special forces group ended in failure, the frigates "Brilliant" and "Yarmouth" forced him to throw himself ashore. The next day Monsunen was towed by the British to Darwin.
On May 25, Brilliant participated in the rescue of the crew of the Atlantic Conveyor container ship (aircraft transport), hit by the Argentine Exocet anti-ship missile.
An interesting detail: the silhouettes of the FR "Brilliant" and "Arrow" were painted on the fuselage of the fighter-bomber "Dagger" with tail number C-412.
The ship was transferred to the reserve in 1996. Sold to Brazil on 31/8/1996, renamed "Dodsworth". Currently in service.
"Broadsword" (F-88)
Laid down: 7/2/1975, Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd., Glasgow Launched: 12/5/1976 Commissioned: 3/5/1979
In the conflict zone since 25.4.1982 (captain W.R. Canning).
May 21 received minor damage as a result of shelling by Dagger aircraft of the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group.
On May 25, after the failure of the Seawolf air defense system, it was hit by an unexploded bomb dropped by the Skyhawk attack aircraft of the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group. The bomb hit the stern and, having rendered the Lynx standing there unusable, ricocheted into the sea. After the death of "Coventry" picked up about 170 people.
Some sources report that during the conflict, the frigate's air defense system shot down four aircraft. However, with a certain certainty, only the "Dagger" from the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group, shot down on May 21, can be indicated. The FR "Argonaut" and "Plymouth" also claim to destroy this aircraft.
The ship was transferred to the reserve on 31.3.1995. Sold to Brazil 6/30/1995, renamed "Greenhalgh". Currently in service.
Type 21 frigates ("Amazon")
Displacement: total - 3250 tons, standard - 2750 tons. Dimensions: 117 x 12.7 x 5.8 m.
Power plant: combined gas turbine COCOG (Combined Gas and Gas), two afterburner gas turbines Rolls-Royce Olympus TMZV of 28,000 hp each, two propulsion gas turbines Rolls-Royce Tupe
RM1A at 4250 hp Two shafts. Speed: 30 knots
Range: 4000 miles at 17 knots. Crew: 175 people.
Armament: SCRC "Exocet" 4x1 PU anti-ship missiles MM38 (except F-170); SAM "Sea Cat" 1x4 PU, GWS 24, ammunition 20 SAM; 1x1 4.5755 AU Mk 8; 2x1 20-mm AU "Oerlikon";
2x3 324-mm TA Mk 1, ammunition 12 Mk 46 torpedoes. Aviation: one "Lynx" Mk 2 (in 1980 - 1982 they replaced the previously based Wasp helicopters). Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 992Q - detection and identification of surface targets; RTN-10X WSA-4 - digital artillery fire control system; Radar 978 - navigational; Radar 1010 - identification; Radar PTR 461 - identification; underwing GAS 184M, 162M.
"Arrow" (F-173)
Laid down: 28/9/1972, Yarrow Ltd., Glasgow Launched: 5/2/1974 Commissioned: 28/7/1976
In the conflict zone since 20.4.1982 (Commander P.J. Bootherstone).
On May 1, it was slightly damaged by artillery fire from a Dagger fighter-bomber of the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group.
The ship was transferred to the reserve in 1994. Sold to Pakistan on 1/3/1994, renamed "Khaibar". Currently in service.
"Avenger" (F-185)
Laid down: 10/30/1974, Yarrow Ltd., Glasgow Launched: 11/20/1975 Commissioned: 4/15/1978
In the conflict zone from 23.5.1982 (captain N.M. White).
According to official reports, on May 30, the ship's gunners shot down the Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles with fire from 4.5 "guns.
The ship was transferred to the reserve in 1994. Sold to Pakistan on 23/9/1994, renamed "Tippu Sultan". Currently in service.
"Active" (F-171)
Laid down: 23/7/1971, Vosper Thornycroft Ltd., Woolston Launched: 23/11/1972 Commissioned: 19/7/1977
In the conflict zone since 23/5/1982 (Commander P.C.B. Canter). The ship was transferred to the reserve in 1994. Sold to Pakistan on September 23, 1994, renamed Shah Jahan. Currently in service.
"Alacrity" (F-174)
Laid down: 5/3/1973, Yarrow Ltd., Glasgow Launched: 18/9/1974 Commissioned: 2/7/1977
In the conflict zone since 25/4/1982 (Commander C.J.S. Craig). Received minor damage during one of the raids on 1 May. .
The most notable episode involving Alacrity was the sinking of the Argentine auxiliary vessel Isla de los Estados by artillery fire on the night of May 10-11. This was the only case of the use of weapons by a surface ship against a surface target during the entire conflict.
On May 11, the Argentine submarine San Luis reported that two torpedoes had been fired at Alacrity and Arrow.
The ship was transferred to the reserve in 1994. Sold to Pakistan on 1/3/1994, renamed "Badr". Currently in service.
"Ambuscade" (F-172)
Laid down: 1/9/1971, Yarrow Ltd., Glasgow Launched: 1/18/1973 Commissioned: 5/9/1975
In the conflict zone since 18/5/1982 (Commander P.J. Mosse).
The ship was transferred to the reserve in 1993. Sold to Pakistan on 28/7/1993, renamed "Tariq". Currently in service.
"Antelope" (F-170)
Laid down: 23/3/1971, Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston Launched: 16/3/1972 Commissioned: 19/7/1975
In the conflict zone since 18/5/1982 (Commander N. Tobin).
On the morning of May 23, the Lynx helicopter from the Sea Squa anti-ship missile frigate finally destroyed the previously damaged Argentine transport Rio Carcarana. On the same day, covering the troops that had landed two days earlier, it was attacked by four Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group. Two 1000-lb unexploded bombs hit the starboard side of the ship (one person died). The Skyhawk that dropped them was shot down by an anti-aircraft missile immediately after this, with Antelope, the Broadsword FR and the Rapier coastal air defense system, as well as the calculation of the Blowpipe MANPADS, claiming victory.
The damaged ship withdrew to a safer area, where an attempt was made to defuse the munitions. For this, a team from the Royal Corps of Engineers went on board. During the next - the fourth - attempt to disarm the bomb, an explosion occurred that caused the second bomb to detonate. One sapper was killed, the second was seriously wounded (later died), seven more people escaped with minor injuries and wounds.
The frigate received a hole from the waterline to the chimney, a fire broke out in the engine room, the fire began to spread rapidly. After the failure of the power generators and fire-fighting systems, the captain gave the order to abandon the ship. Five minutes after the departure of the last crew member (in full accordance with tradition - the captain himself), the first explosion of ammunition occurred. Explosions continued throughout the night. The next morning, the FR was still afloat, with a damaged keel and mangled and burnt out superstructures. On the same day, May 24, Antelope broke into two parts and sank.
"Ardent" (F-184)
Laid down: 26/2/974, Yarrow Ltd., Glasgow Launched: 9/5/1975 Commissioned: 10/13/1977
In the conflict zone since 13/5/1982 (Commander A. West).
May 21 in Grantham Strait at about 14.40 was attacked by three Dagger aircraft of the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group. Three of the nine 500-lb bombs that hit the ship exploded: two in the hangar, destroying the Lynx helicopter and causing the Sea Cat launcher to explode; the third - in the aft room of auxiliary mechanisms. The ship lost power, but retained a speed of about 17.5 knots, in addition, the 4.5 "AU failed.
At 15.10, it was re-attacked by three Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 3rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron from the Navy. Got hit by two bombs (both exploded). A strong fire broke out on the frigate, water began to flow into the hull. The captain gave the order to abandon the ship. The crew was taken aboard the Yarmouth FR. "Ardent" sank on the morning of May 22. 24 crew members were killed and 30 more were injured.
According to the official website of the Argentine Air Force, the attacks on the Ardent took place a little differently. At 14.00, A-4B Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group achieved a 1000-lb bomb hit in the stern of the frigate. At 1440, two 1000-pound bombs dropped by Dagger aircraft from the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group again hit the stern. At 15.01, it was hit by A-4Q "Skyhawk" attack aircraft from the naval 3rd Fighter-Bomber Squadron. However, the website states that 1,000-lb ammunition was also used in the latter case, while according to all available information, naval aviation used 500-lb ammunition.
A few days later, divers removed light anti-aircraft artillery from the sunken frigate, which was installed on other ships.
Former captain of the ship Alan West in 2002 - 2006. served as First Sea Lord.
Leander-class frigates
Type "Leander" consisted of three series (subgroups). Representatives of two of them took part in the Falklands campaign: the 2nd series was called in Britain "Exocet Group", and the 3rd - "Broad Beam Group".
Displacement: total - 3200 tons, standard - 2450 tons. Dimensions: 113.4 x 12.5 x 5.6 m (4.5 m along the keel). EU: steam turbine type Y-136; two double-expansion White-English Electric steam turbines, 15,000 hp each; two Babcock & Wilcox boilers. Two propellers. Speed: 28 knots
Cruising range: 4000 miles at 15 knots. Crew: 223 people.
Armament: SCRC "Exocet" 4x1 PU anti-ship missiles MM38;
SAM "Sea Cat" 3x4 RPU GWS 22;
2x1 40-MM/60 AU Mk 9;
2x3 324 mm TA Mk 32 for Mk 44/46 torpedoes.
Aviation: One Wasp or Lynx helicopter.
Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 965 - detection of air targets with a single antenna
AKE type system; N
Radar MRS 3 - fire control;
Radar 1006 - navigational;
podkilny GAS 184.
"Argonaut" (F-56)
Laid down: 11/27/1964, Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne Launched: 2/8/1966 Commissioned: 8/17/1967
In the conflict zone since 13.5.1982 (captain S.N. Layman).
May 21 at about 10.00 attacked by a single "Aermacchi" of the 1st Fighter Squadron. Slightly damaged by cannon fire and NUR in particular, radar 965 was damaged. Several wounded.
On the same day at 14.30, it was attacked by five Skyhawk attack aircraft of the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group. The hit of one of the two unexploded bombs in the cellar of the Sea Cat air defense system caused the detonation of two missiles. Two people died. The second AB got into the boiler room. After disarming the Argentine bombs, he departed for repair and modernization work, which lasted about a year.
The assertion found in the literature that six attack aircraft participated in the attack on the Argonaut is not true: the sixth aircraft from the strike group returned to its airfield before reaching the Falkland Islands.
Transferred to the reserve on 31.3.1993; scrapped a few years later.
Minerva (F-45)
Laid down: 25/7/1963, Vickers-Armstrong Ltd, Newcastle Launched: 19/12/1964 Commissioned: 14/5/1966
In the conflict zone since 23/5/1982 (Commander S.H.G. Johnston). The ship was put into reserve in March 1992, sold for scrapping in July 1993.
"Penelope" (F-127)
Laid down: 14/3/1961, Vickers-Armstrong Ltd, Newcastle Launched: 17/8/1962 Commissioned: 31/10/1963
In the conflict zone since 23/5/1982 (Commander P.V. Rickard). On June 13, the Lynx helicopter from the Pénélope of the Sea Skua anti-ship missiles finally finished off the previously damaged Argentine patrol boat (owned by the Coast Guard) Rio Iguazu.
According to the crew, on the same day, the Pénélope, which escorted the Nordic Ferry transport, repelled an attack by an Exocet anti-ship missile launched by an Argentine aircraft. Other sources do not confirm the fact of an attack using anti-ship missiles. The FR returned to his homeland in September 1982.
The ship was transferred to the reserve on 25.4.1991. Sold to Ecuador in June 1991, renamed "Presidente Eloy Alfaro" Currently in service.
Displacement: total - 2962 tons, standard - 2500 tons. Dimensions: 113.4 x 13.1 5.5 m (4.5 m along the keel). EU: steam turbine type Y-160; two double-expansion White-English Electric steam turbines, 15,000 hp each; two Babcock & Wilcox boilers. Two propellers. Speed: 28 knots
Cruising range: 4000 miles at 15 knots. Crew: 260 people.
Armament: SCRC "Exocet" 4x1 PU anti-ship missiles MM38; SAM "Sea Wolf" 1x6 RPU GWS 25; 2x1 20mm/70 AU;
2x3 324 mm TA Mk 32 for Mk 44/46 torpedoes. Aviation: Lynx helicopter. Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 965 - detection of air targets with a single antenna system of the AKE type;
Radar 994 - detection of surface targets; Radar MRS 3 - fire control; Radar 1006 - navigational; podkilnaya GAS 2016.
"Andromeda" (F-57)
Laid down: 25/5/1966, HM Dockyard, Portsmouth Launched: 24/4/1967 Commissioned: 2/9/1968
Modernized in 1977 with the replacement of weapons: 4.5 "guns, Sea Cat air defense systems, Limbo bombers were removed. Anti-ship missiles, a new air defense system, TA were installed.
In the conflict zone since 23.5.1982 (captain J.L. Weatherall).
The frigate was transferred to the reserve in June 1993. Sold to India. Entered into the Indian Navy as a training ship "Krishna" 8/22/1995. Currently in service.
Rothesay-class frigates (Modified Type 12)
Displacement: total - 2800 tons, standard - 2380 tons. Dimensions: 112.8 x 12.5 x 5.3 m.
EU: steam turbine; two Admiralty Standard Range 15,000 hp steam turbines, two Babcock & Wilcox boilers. Two propellers. Speed: 30 knots
Cruising range: 5200 miles at 12 knots. Crew: 235 people.
Armament: SAM "Sea Cat" 1x4 RPU GWS 20, ammunition 16 SAM;
1x2 4.5745 AU Mk 6;
1x3 Limbo bomb launcher Mk 10.
Aviation: Wasp helicopter.
Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 994 - detection and identification of surface targets; Radar MRS 3 - fire control; Radar 978 - navigational; GAS 174, 162, 170.
Yarmouth (F-101)
Laid down: 11/29/1957, John Braun & Co Ltd, Clydebank Launched: 3/23/1959 Commissioned: 3/26/1960
In the conflict zone since 25.4.1982 (Commander A. Morton).
On May 4, he took on board part of the crew with the Sheffield destroyer. May 22, took part in the capture of the coaster "Monsunen".
The frigate was transferred to the reserve on 30/4/1986. Sunk during firing practice by EM Manchester on 16/6/1987.
Plymouth (F-126)
Laid down: 1/7/1958, HM Dockyard, Devonport Launched: 20/7/1959 Commissioned: 11/5/1961
In the conflict zone since 17.4.1982 (captain D. Pentreath).
He took part in the liberation of South Georgia. On April 25, the frigate's helicopter took part in the attack on the Santa Fe submarine.
On June 8, it was attacked by Dagger aircraft of the 6th Fighter-Bomber Group. She was fired upon by cannons and hit by an unexploded bomb, which caused one of the Limbo charges to detonate and inflicted light damage on the ship.
The frigate was transferred to the reserve in 1988. Subsequently, it was exhibited in Birkenhead as a museum ship. To date, the Warship Preservation Trust, which owned it, has gone bankrupt and the fate of the old frigate is uncertain.
Landing Platform Docks
Displacement: full - 12,120 tons, standard - 11,060 tons, in ballast - 16,950 tons.
Dimensions: 158.5 x 24.4 x 6.2 m (with a full load and a filled dock chamber - 9.8 m).
EU: steam turbine. Two English Electric 11,000 hp steam turbines, two Babcock & Wilcox boilers. Two propellers. Speed: 21 knots
Cruising range: 5000 miles at 20 knots. Crew: 550 people. Armament: SAM "Sea Cat" 4x4 RPU; 2x1 40mm/70 AU.
Aviation: platform for five Sea King or Wessex helicopters. Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 994 - detection of air and surface targets; Radar 978 - navigational.
Landing capacity: 380 - 400 paratroopers (overload 700); 15 tanks, 7 three-ton trucks and 20 Land Rovers. Landing craft: 4 LCM/LCU Mk 9; 4 LCVP (LCA) Mk 2 on davits.
"Fearless" (L-10)
Laid down: 25/7/1962, Harland & Wolff, Belfast Launched: 19/12/1963 Commissioned: 25/11/1965
In the conflict zone since 13.5.1982 (Captain E.S.L. Larken).
He took part in the landing in San Carlos on June 8, during which a Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group destroyed an LCM / LCU Mk 9 F-4 (Foxtrot Four) landing craft. Four Marines and two sailors were killed.
During the operation, he provided a significant number of sorties and landings of helicopters (and even took the lost Sea Harrier VTOL aircraft onto the platform).
Anti-aircraft gunners of one of the landing ships ("Fearless" or "Intrepid") on May 27 fired a 40-mm gun damaged a Skyhawk from the 5th fighter-bomber group. When returning to its airfield, the attack aircraft crashed, the pilot ejected.
The ship was transferred to the reserve on March 18, 2002.
"Intrepid" (L-11)
Laid down: 12/19/1962, John Brown, Clydebank Launched: 6/25/1964 Commissioned: 3/11/1967
In the conflict zone since May 13, 1982 (captain P.G.V. Dingemans). Ship: transferred to the reserve on 31.8.1999.
Landing craft (boats)
LCM/LCU Mk 9
Displacement: full - 176 tons, empty - 75 tons. Dimensions: 25.5 x 6.5 x 1.7 m.
EU: diesel. Two 6-cylinder Paxman YHXAM engines with 312 hp each. Two screws. Speed: 10 knots
Carrying capacity: up to 100 tons (armored vehicles, special vehicles, cars, various weapons, etc.).
Displacement: full - 13.5 tons, empty - 8.5 tons. Dimensions: 12.7 3.1 0.8 m.
EU: diesel. Two diesel engines Foden 100 hp Two screws. Speed: 10 knots
Landing capacity: 35 people or 2 Land Rover trucks.
Landing Ship Logistic
Sir Bedivere type
Displacement: full - 5674 tons ("Sir Lancelot" - 5550 tons), empty - 3270 tons ("Sir Lancelot" - 3370 tons). Dimensions: 125.1 x 19.6 x 4.3m.
EU: two 10-cylinder Mirrless 10-ALSSDM diesel engines with 4700 hp each. (two Denny / Sulzer diesels with 4760 hp each on Sir Lancelot). Two propellers. Speed: 17 knots
Cruising range: 8000 miles at 15 knots. Crew: 68 people. Armament: 2x1 40mm Bofors guns. Aviation: aft platform.
Landing capacity: 340 people (maximum - 534), 16 tanks, 34 trucks, 120 tons of fuel and lubricants, 30 tons of ammunition. Can carry up to 20 helicopters.
"Sir Bedivere" (L-3004)
Laid down: October 1965 Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne Launched: 20/7/1966 Commissioned: 18/5/1967
In the conflict zone since 18.5.1982 (captain P.J. McCarthy).
On May 24, he received a glancing blow from an unexploded bomb dropped by a Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 4th Fighter-Bomber Group.
The ship participated in the Gulf War in 1991. Currently, it is in service.
"Sir Galahad" (L-3005)
Laid down: February 1965, Alex Stephen, Glasgow Launched: 4/19/1966 Commissioned: 12/17/1966
In the conflict zone since 8/5/1982 (captain P.J.G. Roberts).
On May 24, he was hit by an unexploded bomb dropped by a Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 4th Fighter-Bomber Group. Part of the team was evacuated, the bomb was defused. Received minor damage.
On June 8, during the landing of troops at Bluff Cove, it was attacked by Skyhawk aircraft from the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group. As a result of hitting two or three bombs, a severe fire broke out. On the ship, 5 crew members, 32 Welsh guardsmen and 11 soldiers from other units were killed. In addition, 11 more crew members and 46 ground troops received injuries and severe burns. The burnt-out hull was towed out to sea and on June 25 the Swelling submarine was sunk.
"Sir Geraint" (L-3027)
Laid down: June 1965, Alex Stephen, Glasgow Launched: 26/1/1967 Commissioned: 12/7/1967
In the conflict zone since 8/5/1982 (captain D.E. Lawrence). The ship was transferred to the reserve in November 2003.
"Sir Lancelot" (L-3029)
Laid down: March 1962, Fairfield, Glasgow Launched: 25/6/1963 Commissioned: 16/1/1964
In the conflict zone from 8.5.1982 (captain CA. Purtcher-Wydenbruck).
On May 24, he was hit on the starboard side by an unexploded 1000-pound bomb dropped by a Skyhawk attack aircraft from the 4th Fighter-Bomber Group. The ship was put into shallow water, the crew was evacuated. After clearing the munitions, he returned to active service.
"Sir Lancelot" was transferred to the reserve in 1989. In the same year it was sold to a private company from South Africa, renamed "Lowland Lancer". Served for some time as a transport ship, then as a floating casino
in Cape Town. In 1992, she was resold to Singapore, renamed "Persévérance", enlisted in the Singaporean Navy. Currently in service.
"Sir Percivale" (L-3036)
Laid down: April 1966, Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne Launched: 10/4/1967 Commissioned: 3/23/1968
In the conflict zone since 8/5/1982 (captain A.F. Pitt).
The ship participated in the "Gulf War" in 1991. It operated as part of the British forces in the Balkans in 1992 - 1994, in Iraq in 2003. Transferred to the reserve on 17.8.2004.
"Sir Tristram" (L-3505)
Laid down: February 1966, Hawthorne Leslie, Hebburn-on-Tyne Launched: 12/12/1966 Commissioned: 9/14/1967
In the conflict zone since 05/08/1982 (captain G.R.Green).
On June 8, Bluff Cove was attacked by Skyhawks from the 5th Fighter-Bomber Group. Two sailors were killed by gunfire. Fortunately, the 1,000-pound bomb that penetrated the deck did not immediately detonate, which made it possible to evacuate the team. After the explosion of the bomb, a strong fire broke out, the ship sank in shallow water. After the end of hostilities, he was raised and towed to Port Stanley. Later towed to England, repaired and upgraded. Returned to service in 1985.
The ship participated in the "Gulf War" in 1991, in operations in the Balkans and in the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Transferred to the reserve on 11/17/2005.
Hunt-type minesweepers
Displacement: total - 725 tons, standard - 615 tons. Dimensions: 60 x 9.9 x 2.2 m.
EU: two Ruston-Paxman Deltic 9-58K diesel engines, 1770 hp each; auxiliary diesel Ruston-Paxman Deltic 9-55V. Two propellers; bow thruster; the presence of hydraulic systems for movement when searching for mines - stroke 8 knots. Speed: 17 knots
Cruising range: 1500 miles at 12 knots. Crew: 45 people.
Armament: 1x1 40mm Bofors Mk 9 guns.
Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 1006 - navigational;
GAS 193M - underbelly, mine detection;
GAS 2059 - underbelly, mine detection.
Mining armament: two PAP 104 submersibles;
acoustic trawl Mk 3 "Osborn";
electromagnetic trawl MM Mk 2,
contact trawl Mk 8 "Oropesa".
Ship hulls are made of fiberglass, non-magnetic or low-magnetic materials.
"Brecon" (M-29)
Laid down: October 1975, Vosper Thorny croft, Woolston Launched: 21/6/1978 Commissioned: 21/3/1980
He arrived in the conflict zone after the end of hostilities, participated in trawling (commander P.A. Fish).
TShch participated in the trawling of the Persian Gulf in 1991. In January 2004, she became the first Royal Navy ship commanded by a woman (Lieutenant S. Atkinson). Transferred to reserve in 2005
"Ledbury" (M-30)
Laid down by: Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston Launched: 12/5/1979 Commissioned: 6/11/1981
He arrived in the conflict zone after the end of hostilities, participated in trawling (Lieutenant Commander A. Rose).
TShch participated in the trawling of the Persian Gulf in 1991. Currently, it is in service.
Requisitioned minesweepers
In the spring of 1982, five trawlers owned by fishing companies were mobilized, equipped with Mk 8 Oropesa contact trawls and Mk 9 Kite Otter systems and sent to the conflict zone (commander - Lieutenant Commander Holloway).
In the area of Port Stanley, minesweepers destroyed two minefields set up by the Argentines. After the completion of the work, they were returned to the previous owners.
Requisitioned from J. Marr Trawlers. Displacement -1238 tons.
In the conflict zone since 18/5/1982 (Lieutenant Commander M.C.G. Holloway).
Requisitioned from J. Marr Trawlers. Displacement -1207 tons.
In the conflict zone from 18/5/1982 (Lieutenant R.J. Bishop).
Requisitioned from J. MarrTrawlers. Displacement - 1615 tons.
In the conflict zone from 18.5.1982 (Lieutenant Commander M. Rowledge).
Northella
Requisitioned from J. Marr Trawlers. Displacement -1238 tons.
In the conflict zone since 18/5/1982 (lieutenant commander J.P.S. Greenop).
Pict
Requisitioned from United Trawlers.
guard (patrol) ships of the "Castle" type
Displacement - 1478 tons.
In the conflict zone since 18/5/1982 (Lieutenant Commander D.G. Garwood). Full displacement: 1427 tons. Dimensions: 81 x 11.5 x 3.6 m.
EU: two Ruston 12RKC diesels, 2820 hp each. Two screws. Speed: 19.5 knots
Cruising range: 10,000 miles at 12 knots.
Crew: 50 people.
Armament: 1x1 30mm AU B MARC;
2x1 7.62mm L7 machine guns.
Aviation: aft platform for a helicopter.
Radio-electronic equipment:
Radar 994 - detection of surface targets;
Radar 1006 - navigational.
Additional equipment: two 5.4-m high-speed frame-inflatable boats "Avon Searider"; accommodation for 25 Marines.
Ships can lay mines if necessary.
"Leeds Castle" (P-258)
Laid down: 10/18/1979, Hall Russell Co. Ltd, Aberdeen Launched: 10/29/1980 Commissioned: 10/27/1981
During the conflict (Lieutenant Commander C.F.B. Hamilton) was used as a messenger ship. After the end of hostilities, he performed various tasks. For some time based in the Falkland Islands. Transferred to reserve 8/8/2005
Dumbarton Castle (P-265)
Laid down by: Hall Russell Ltd, Aberdeen Launched: 3/6/1981 Commissioned: 26/3/1982
During the conflict (Lieutenant Commander N.D. Wood) was used as a messenger ship. Currently in service.
Ice Patrol Vessel "Endurance" (А-171)
Full displacement: 3600 tons
Dimensions: 91.5 x 14 x 5.5 m.
Power plant: diesel Burmeister & Wain 550 VTBF, 3220 hp
Speed: 14.5 knots
Cruising range: 12,000 miles at 14.5 knots. Crew: 119 people. Armament: 2x1 20mm Oerlikon guns. Aviation: two Wasp helicopters.
Laid down: 1955, Krogerwerft, Rendsburg Launched: May 1956 Commissioned: December 1956
Originally under the name "Anita Dan" belonged to the company "Lauritzen Lines". From 20.2.1967 - as part of Royal Navy, re-equipped at the Harland & WolfF shipyard, renamed. For the characteristic coloring of the hull, "Endurance" was unofficially called "Red Plum". By the beginning of 19Q2, he received an order to return to the metropolis. It was planned to be sold in 1983.
He was in the South Atlantic even before the start of the conflict (captain N.J. Barker).
After landing Argentine workers on South Georgia on March 19, he took on board nine Marines from the Port Stanley garrison and, along with 13 Marines already on board, sailed for South Georgia on March 21. On March 25, he discovered the landing of a detachment of about 100 people from the Argentine transport "Bahia Paraíso". Having landed his marines (22 people) ashore, he headed for the Falklands. After the battle of the marines with the invasion forces at Grytviken, the crew of the Endurance was about to attack the Argentine ships and ships using their helicopters and anti-aircraft guns. Having received the strictest ban from the command, he went to meet with the operational unit.
April 22, participated in the landing in Hound Bay on South Georgia. On April 25, his helicopters near Grytviken took part in the attack on the Argentine submarine "Santa Fe". After the surrender of the Argentines on South Georgia on April 26, it remained in the area of \u200b\u200bthe island as a patrol ship. After the end of the war, he participated in the sinking of "Santa Fe" at great depths.
After the end of the conflict, the sale of Endurance was abandoned. The vessel served until 1989 when it collided with an iceberg. After returning to England, it was put in for repair, but the inspection revealed its inexpediency. Transferred to the reserve in 1991, decommissioned.
Fleet tankers
Full displacement: 26,480 tons
Dimensions: 170.8 x 22 x 9.2 m.
EU: 6-cylinder diesel 1Ch.E. Doxford 9500 HP
Speed: 15.5 knots
Crew: 55 people.
Laid down: military facility #7 Ogubosk, Northumberland Launched: 3/29/1960 Commissioned: July 1960
Chartered from W.M Corey & Co. Returned to owner company in May 1985. Scrapped in Thailand.
"Pearleaf" (A-77)
Displacement: full - 25,790 tons.
Dimensions: 173.2 x 21.9 x 9.2 m.
EU: Rowan Doxford 6-cylinder diesel 8800 hp
Speed: 16 knots
Crew: 55 people.
Laid down by: Blythswood Shipbuilding Co Ltd., Scotstown Launched: 10/15/1959 Commissioned: January 1960 In the conflict zone from 4/5/1982.
Chartered from the London company "Jakobs and Partners Ltd". In 1985, the tanker was returned to the owner company and in 1986 sold to Saudi Arabia.
Displacement: full - 36,000 tons, empty - 10,890 tons. Dimensions: 197.5 x 25.6 x 11.1 m.
Power plant: two Pametrada double expansion steam turbines
13,250 hp, two Babcock & Wilcox boilers.
Speed: 19 knots
Crew: 87 people.
Armament: 1x2 40mm (1x2 20mm) AU.
"Olna" (А-123)
Laid down: Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn Launched: 28/7/1965 Commissioned: 1/4/1966
In the conflict zone since 23.5.1982 (captain J.A. Bailey).
The tanker took part in the supply of ships with fuel during the "Gulf War" in 1991. It was transferred to the reserve in August 2000. In March 2001, it was sold to a Turkish company and scrapped.
"Olmeda" (A-124)
Laid down: Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn Launched: 11/19/1964 Commissioned: 10/18/1965 Originally named Oleander
In the conflict zone since 25.4.1982 (Captain G.P. Overbury).
The tanker was transferred to the reserve in 1993. Sold to India for scrapping.
Later Tide type
Displacement: full - 27,400 tons, empty - 8531 tons. Dimensions: 177.6 x 21.6 x 9.8 m.
Power plant: two Pametrada double expansion turbines of 7500 hp each,
two Babcock & Wilcox boilers.
Speed: 18.3 knots
Crew: 110 people.
Aviation: four Sea King helicopters.
"Tidespring" (A-75)
Laid down: 24/7/1961, Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn Launched: 3/5/1962 Commissioned: 18/1/1963
In the conflict zone since 17.4.1982 (captain S. Redmond).
In addition to performing the main task, during the conflict the tanker was used to accommodate Argentine prisoners of war.
Transferred to the reserve on 12/13/1991. Sold to India for scrap.
"Tidepool" (A-76)
Laid down: 4/12/1961, Hawthorn Leslie, Hebburn Launched: 11/12/1962 Commissioned: 8/6/1963
In the conflict zone since 13/5/1982 (captain J. McCullough).
By the time the war began, Tidepool was already on its way to Chile to complete a sales contract, but was again temporarily returned to the RFA.
Transferred to the reserve on 13/8/1982. Sold to Chile.
Rover type
Displacement: full - 11,522 tons, empty - 4,700 tons. Dimensions: 140.6 x 19.2 x 7.3 m.
EU: two 16-cylinder Pielstick diesel engines with 7680 hp each. One propeller shaft.
Speed: 19 knots
Cruising range: 15,000 miles at 15 knots. Crew: 47 people. Armament: 2x1 20mm Oerlikon guns. Aviation: Sea King helicopter.
"Blue Rover" (A-270)
Laid down: Swan Hunter, Hebburn-on-Tyne Launched: 11/11/1969 Commissioned: 7/15/1970
In the conflict zone since 2/5/1982 (captain D.A. Reynolds).
In March 1993, TN was sold to Portugal, renamed Berrio.
Appleleaf type
Full displacement: 40,200 tons. Dimensions: 170.7 x 25.9 x 11.9 m.
EU: two 14-cylinder diesel engines Pielstick 14 RS2.2 V 400, 7000 hp each.
One propeller shaft.
Speed: 16 knots
Crew: 56 people.
Armament: 2x1 20mm Oerlikon guns;
4x1 7.62mm machine guns.
"Appleleaf" (A-79)
Laid down: 1974, Cammell Laird, Birkenhead Launched: 24/7/1975 Commissioned: November 1979
During the conflict, Captain G.McDougall commanded the tanker.
Sold to Australia 9/10/1989, renamed HMAS Westralia. Currently in service.
"Brambleleaf" (A-81)
Laid down by: Cammell Laird, Birkenhead Launched: 22/1/1976 Commissioned: 6/5/1980
During the conflict, the ship was commanded by Captain M.S.J. Farley.
Currently in service.
"Bay leaf" (A-109)
Laid down: Blyth Drydock, Northumberland Launched: 10/27/1981 Commissioned: 3/26/1982
In the conflict zone since 06/09/1982 (captain A.E.T. Hunter).
Currently in service.
Mobilized tankers
Displacement: 57,732 tons. Speed: 16 knots.
Chartered from Finance for Shipping Ltd. Located near Ascension Island. Did not enter the conflict zone (A. Lazenby).
"Anco Charger"
Displacement: 25,300 tons. Speed: 15.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 15.5.1982 (V. Hartón).
Chartered from R&O.
"Balder London"
Displacement: 33,751 tons. Speed: 16.2 knots.
Chartered from Llyods of London (K.J. Wallace). May 2, 1984 joined the auxiliary fleet under the name "Orangeleaf" (A-110). Currently in service.
"British Avon"
Displacement: 25,620 tons. Speed: 15.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 7/5/1982 (J.W.M. Guy).
Chartered from British Petroleum. On May 25, he took on board the Argentine officer Alfredo Astiz, notorious as a participant in repressions against dissidents, who was taken prisoner on South Georgia. Returned to Portsmouth 5 June.
"British Dart"
Displacement: 25,651 tons. Speed: 15.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 14.5.1982 (JAM. Taylor).
Chartered from British Petroleum*.
Displacement: 29,900 tons. Speed: 14.7 knots.
In the conflict zone since 22.4.1982 (G. Barber).
Chartered from British Petroleum. Delivered the crew of the deceased Sheffield EM to Ascension Island.
British Tatag»
Displacement: 25,500 tons. Speed: 14.7 knots. Chartered from British Petroleum* (D.O.W. Jones).
((British Tau"
Displacement: 25,000 tons. Speed: 14.7 knots.
In the conflict zone since 23.4.1982 (R.T. Morris).
Chartered from ((British Petroleum). After the attack ((Atlantic Conveyor * May 25, took on board the surviving crew members (133 people) and delivered them to Ascension Island.
Displacement: 25 640t. Speed: 14.7 knots
In the conflict zone since 21.5.1982 (I.A. Oliphant).
Chartered from the company ((British Petroleum *. Delivered the crew of the landing ship "Sir Galahad" to Ascension Island.
Displacement: 25,147 tons. Speed: 15.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 5/5/1982 (PR. Waller).
Chartered from the company ((British Petroleum). Took on board the crew of the landing ship "Sir Tristram" (101 people) and delivered them to Ascension Island.
Displacement: 25,196 tons. Speed: 15.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 25.5.1982 (D.M. Rundle).
Chartered from a company ((British Petroleum). May 29, while a few hundred miles from the Falkland Islands and 830 miles east of Buenos Aires, was attacked by an Argentine C-130 Hercules aircraft. One of the eight bombs dropped hit the ship , but bounced off the hull and fell into the sea, causing minor damage.
"Ebirpa"
Displacement: 31,374 tons. Speed: 14.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 27.5.1982 (J.C. Beaumont).
Chartered from Shell.
Displacement: 30,607 tons. Speed: 15 knots. Chartered from the company ((Canadian Pacific" (E.C. Metham).
Displacement: 56,490 tons. Speed: 16.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 10.6.1982 (A. Terras).
Chartered from King Line.
Troop transports
"Canerga"
Tonnage: 44,807 GRT Dimensions: 249.9 x 31.2 x 10 m.
EU: turbo-electric; two British Thompson Houston (AEI) three-phase air-cooled electric motors, steam turbine, four auxiliary steam turbines. Two screws. Speed: 23.5 knots Crew: 795 people.
Laid down: 23/9/1957, Harland & Wolff, Belfast Launched: 16/3/1960 Commissioned: 2/6/1961
In the conflict zone since 13/5/1982 (captain D.J. Scott-Masson).
Requisitioned by the Department of Defense from R&O on 4 April 1982. Sailed from Southampton on 9 April after installing helipads and medical equipment. There were 2,400 troops on board. May 21 made their landing at San Carlos. On 27 May at South Georgia, took on board the personnel of the 5th Infantry Brigade from Queen Elizabeth 2 (landing at San Carlos on 2 June).)
After June 14, he simultaneously transported 4,400 Argentine prisoners of war to Puerto Madryn (Patagonia). Returned to Southampton on 11 July with members of the 3rd Brigade on board. During the conflict, he received the nickname "Great White Whale" (great white whale).
After the end of hostilities returned to the owner. Last voyage - from 10 to 31 October 1997. Broken down for metal in Pakistan.
"Queen Elizabeth II"
Tonnage: 70,327 GRT Dimensions: 293.5 x 32 x 9.9 m.
EU: originally - steam turbine (in 1986 replaced by diesel-electric). Speed: 32.5 knots Crew: 1015 people.
Armament: for the needs of air defense, it was planned to use the machine guns and MANPADS available from the troops transported on the liner. Places were determined for their accommodation, as well as personnel were allocated.
Laid down: 5/6/1965, John Brown Shipyard, Clydebank Launched: 20/9/1967.
The ceremony was attended by Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain. She used the same gold scissors that her mother and grandmother used to lower the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary, respectively. Entered service: 2/5/1969
In the conflict zone from 23.5.1982 (captain R. Jackson).
Requisitioned by the Department of Defense from the Cunard Line on 4 May at Southampton. The number of accepted passengers increased by 1000 and reached 3150 people. May 12 headed for the South Atlantic with the military personnel of the 5th Infantry Brigade on board. On May 27, at South Georgia, personnel and ammunition were transferred to the Canberra and Norland transports. He left South Georgia on May 29, bringing home the crew members of the sunken ships Antelope, Ardent and Coventry. Were honored with a meeting by Queen Elizabeth II and the Queen Mother, who were on board the royal yacht
After the end of hostilities returned to the owner. Currently used as a passenger liner.
Displacement: 13,000 tons. Speed: 19 knots.
In the conflict zone since 13.5.1982 (D.A. Ellerby).
Requisitioned from R&O on 17 April. Passed refitting at Portsmouth 22 - 25 April. He took on board the military personnel of the 2nd Parachute Regiment. Participated in the landing on 21 May. After the end of hostilities, he transported Argentine prisoners of war.
"Baltic Ferry"
In the conflict zone since 25.5.1982 (E. Harrison).
"Nordic Ferries"
Displacement: 6455 tons. Speed: 17 knots.
In the conflict zone since 25.5.1982 (R. Jenkins).
Requisitioned from Townsend Thorsen. Carried the personnel of the 5th Infantry Brigade, as well as ammunition.
Displacement: 9000 tons. Speed: 21 knots.
In the conflict zone since 7/6/1982 (M.J. Stockman).
Requisitioned from Sealink. Transported military personnel of the 5th Infantry Brigade and the Air Force. In February 1983, acquired by the Ministry of Defense, became part of the Royal Navy as HMS Kegep.
Displacement: 9387 tons. Speed: 21 knots.
In the conflict zone - since the beginning of July 1982.
Air transport
"Atlantic Conveyor"
Displacement: 14,946 tons. Speed: 22 knots. In the conflict zone since 13.5.1982 (I. North).
Requisitioned by the Department of Defense from Cunard Container on 14 April in Liverpool. Refitted at Naval Base Devonport with airstrip equipment installed on upper deck. Equipped for the repair of aircraft.
Left the port on 25 April with five Chinook helicopters of 18 Squadron RAF and six Wessex helicopters of 848 Squadron FAA on board. Upon arrival at Ascension Island, he received eight Sea Harrier fighters from the FAA 809 Squadron and six Harrier GR.3s, one of the Chinook helicopters was removed.
On May 25, while 90 miles northeast of Port Stanley, along with aircraft carriers, he was attacked by two Argentine Super Etendard aircraft from the 2nd Fighter Assault Squadron. Approximately in June 16, from a distance of 30 miles, they fired two Exocet AM39 anti-ship missiles at the ship, one of which hit the target. The explosion and subsequent fire killed 12 people, including the captain. Three Chinook helicopters, six Wessex helicopters and one Lynx from 815 Squadron were destroyed. An attempt was made to tow the damaged ship, but the Atlantic Conveyor sank during towing on May 28.
The British and Argentine versions of events differ. Argentine says that the command knew about the role of the converted container ship and it was one of the priority targets, and two missiles hit the ship. The British indicate that the main task for the Super Etendard was aircraft carriers, but the escort ships managed to jam and disorient the missile homing heads. However, after leaving the interference field, the “head” of one of the anti-ship missiles captured a large target, which turned out to be the Atlantic Conveyor.
"Atlantic Causeway"
Displacement: 14,946 tons. Speed: 22 knots.
In the conflict zone since 25.5.1982 (M.N.S. Twomey).
Container ship of the same type as the Atlantic Conveyor. Requisitioned from Cunard Container. Converted to air transport.
"Contender Bezant"
Displacement: 11,445 tons. Speed: 19 knots.
In the conflict zone since 7.6.1982 (A. MacKinnon).
Container ship requisitioned from Sea Containers Ltd. Converted to air transport.
Displacement: 27,870 tons. Speed: 22 knots.
In the conflict zone since 25.6.1982 (H.S. Braden).
Requisitioned 29 May. At Devonport converted to carry and repair helicopters. 2x1 20mm guns installed.
22.4.1983 chartered by the Ministry of Defense, became part of the Royal Navy, renamed "Reliant".
Supply ships
Displacement: 11,804 tons. Speed: 18 knots.
In the conflict zone since 05/21/1982 (H.R. Lawton).
Chartered from China Mutual Steamship.
Displacement: 12,030 tons. Speed: 23.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 20.5.1982 (N. Evans).
Requisitioned from Cunard.
Displacement: 5463 tons Speed: 18.5 knots
In the conflict zone since 13.5.1982 (J.P. Morton).
Requisitioned from R&O. 2x1 40mm Bofors guns installed.
"Europic Ferry"
Displacement: 4190 tons. Speed: 19.5 knots.
In the conflict zone since 13.5.1982 (W.J.C. Clarke).
Requisitioned from Townsend Thorsen.
"Tor Caledonia"
Displacement: 5060 tons. Speed: 18.5 knots. In the conflict zone since 6/6/1982 (A. Scott).
Requisitioned from Whitwill. On June 28, during a storm, she ran aground. Serious damage was not received, on the same day it was removed from the shallows.
Displacement: 12,600 tons. Speed: 18 knots. In the conflict zone since 15.7.1982.
Supply transports
Regent type
Full displacement: 22,890 tons. Dimensions: 195.1 x 23.5 x 8 m.
Power plant: two 10,000 hp AEI steam turbines, two Foster boilers
Speed: 21 knots
Crew: 119 RFA, 52 RN civil servants; helicopter team from the RN.
Armament: equipped with platforms for the installation of 2x1 40-mm AU "Bofors".
Aviation: two Sea King helicopters (maximum - 4).
"Regent" (A-486)
Laid down: 4/9/1964, Harland & Wolff, Belfast Launched: 3/9/1966 Commissioned: 6/6/1967
In the conflict zone since 8/5/1982 (captain J. Logan).
TP participated in the supply of British forces in Bosnia in 1992 - 1994. Transferred to reserve in 1997. Sold for scrap in India.
"Resource" (A-480)
Laid down: 19/7/1964, Scotts Shipbuilding & Eng Co, Greencock Launched: 11/2/1966 Commissioned: 6/5/1967
In the conflict zone since 25.4.19812 (captain V.A. Seymour).
"Resource" was one of the first ships to assist the crew of the EM "Sheffield" - was close to him at the time of the attack (having finished reloading supplies).
Withdrawn from the fleet after 2002.
Type "Fort Grange"
Displacement: full - 23,484 tons.
Dimensions: 183.9 x 24.1 x 9 m.
EU: 8-cylinder diesel Sulzer 8RND90 23,200 hp
Speed: 22 knots
Cruising range: 10,000 miles at 20 knots.
Crew: 114 from the RFA, 36 from the Navy Transportation Service
(Royal Navy Supply and Transport Service), 45 from the FAA.
Armament: 2x1 20mm Oerlikon GAM-B01 guns;
4x1 7.62mm machine guns.
Aviation: one Sea King helicopter (maximum -4).
"Fort Austin" (А-386)
Laid down: 12/9/1975, Scott-Lithgow, Greencock Launched: 3/9/1978 Commissioned: 5/11/1979
In the conflict zone since 26/4/1982 (Commander S.C. Dunlop).
TP is currently in service.
"Fort Grange" (A-385)
Laid down: 9/11/1973, Scott-Lithgow, Greencock Launched: 9/12/1976 Commissioned: 6/4/1978
In the conflict zone since 26.5.1982 (captain D.G.M. Averill).
In 1997 - 2000 TP took part in operations in the Balkans. In May 2000, renamed "Fort Rosalie" (A-385). Currently in service.
Displacement: full - 16,792 tons (normal 14,000 tons), empty - 9010 tons.
Dimensions: 159.7 x 22 x 6.7 m.
EU: 8-cylinder diesel Wallsend-Sulzer RD76; 11 520 hp Speed: 18 knots
Cruising range: 12,000 miles at 16 knots. Crew: 151 people. Aviation: Sea King helicopter.
"Stromness" (A-344)
Laid down: 1/10/1965, Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd., Wallsend-on-Tyne Launched: 1/9/1966 Commissioned: 10/8/1967
In the conflict zone since 13/5/1982 (captain J.B. Dickinson).
TP sold to USA 10/1/1983, renamed "Saturn", part of the Military Sealift Command. Currently in service.
Helicopter Support Ship Engadine (K-08)
Full displacement: 9000 tons. Dimensions: 129.3 x 17.8 x 6.7 m.
Power plant: Sulzer RD68 5-cylinder turbocharged diesel engine, 5500 hp Speed: 14.5 knots
Crew: 63 from RFA, 14 from RN (there are facilities for
accommodating another 114 people from the RN).
Aviation: four Wessex helicopters, two Wasp or Sea King.
Laid down: 8/18/1964, Henry Robb Ltd., Leith Launched: 8/9/1965 Commissioned: 9/15/1966
In the conflict zone since 2/6/1982. (captain D.F. Freeman).
Used as a repair ship.
Transferred to reserve in 1989. In 1996 sold to India for scrap.
Vessels of the Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service
Rescue vessel "Later Wild Duck"
Displacement: full - 1622 tons, empty - 941 tons. Dimensions: 60.2 x 12.2 x 4.2 m.
Powertrain: Davey Paxman 16-cylinder diesel 750 hp One shaft. Speed: 10.8 knots
Cruising range: 3260 miles at 9.5 knots. Crew: 26 people.
Armament: adapted to mount 1x2 40mm guns.
"Goosander" (A-94)
Laid down by: Robb Caledon Ltd. Launched: 12/4/1973 Commissioned: 10/9/1973
The ship, commanded by A. MacGregor, was quite actively used in the combat area.
Tug "Turpoop" (A-95)
Displacement: total - 1380 tons, standard - 800 tons. Dimensions: 61 x 13 x 4 m.
EU: two Vee-type turbocharged diesels with 1375 hp each. Speed: 16 knots
Laid down by: Henry Robb & Co Ltd, Leith Launched: 10/14/1958 Commissioned: 1960 During the conflict, the ship was commanded by J.N. Morris.
Mobilized support vessels Tugs (Irishman)
In the conflict zone since 9/5/1982 (W. Allen).
Participated in the rescue of the landing ship "Sir Tristram" and the Argentine transport "Bahia Buen Suceso".
"Yorkshireman"
Displacement: 689 tons. Speed: 14 knots.
In the conflict zone since 9/5/1982 (P. Rimmer).
Ocean tug, requisitioned from United Towing.
Same type with "Irishman". On May 27, they jointly tried to tow the Atlantic Conveyor container ship damaged by Argentine aircraft. however, while being towed on 28 May, the badly damaged vessel sank.
Displacement: 1598 tons Speed: 17.5 knots
In the conflict zone since 2/5/1982 (A.J. Stockwell).
Ocean tug, requisitioned from United Towing.
From June 28 to July 15, together with Yorkshireman and Endurance, he participated in the work to restore the buoyancy of the Santa Fe submarine.
Cable ship "Iris"
Displacement: 3843 tons. Dimensions: 97.2 x 15 x 5.5 m. Speed: 15 knots. Laid down in 1973. Commissioned in 1976.
In the conflict zone since 21.5.1982 (captain A. Fulton).
Chartered from British Telecom, was not used for its intended purpose, but as a "servant for everything."
Further fate: dismantled for metal in 2003
Vessels for maintenance of oil platforms
"British Enterprise III"
Displacement -1600 tons.
Requisitioned from BUE North-sea (D. Grant)
Stena Seaspread
Displacement: 6061 tons. Speed: 16 knots.
In the conflict zone since 8/5/1982 (N. Williams).
Requisitioned from Stena North-Sea. Used as a repair ship.
Stena Inspector
In the conflict zone since 25.5.1982 (D. Ede).
Requisitioned from Stena North-Sea.
After the end of the conflict, it was bought from the owner company. Rebuilt into a transport and repair ship and 03/12/1984 enrolled in the auxiliary forces of the Navy under the name "Diligence". It has the following performance characteristics: Displacement: total - 10,765 tons. Dimensions: 112 x 20.5 x 6.8 m.
EU: diesel-electric; five Nohab-Polar diesel generators; four NEBB electric motors. One propeller; thrusters. Speed: 12 knots
Cruising range: 5000 miles at 12 knots.
Crew: 38 (can accommodate an additional 147 and an additional 55 for a short time). Armament: 4x1 20mm Oerlikon guns; 4 X 7.62 mm machine guns.
Aviation: a platform that allows you to receive any helicopters (up to CH-47 "Chinook"). Currently in service.
Minesweeper floating base “St. Helena"
Displacement: 3150 tons
Supply transport. Requisitioned from United International Bank Ltd. During the contract period, the ship was commanded by M.L.M. Smith.
Refrigerators
"Avelona Star"
Displacement: 9784 tons. Speed: 24 knots.
Chartered 28 May 1982. Fitted in Portsmouth for the South Atlantic. During the conflict, the ship was commanded by N. Dyer.
Displacement: 7730 tons. Speed: 19 knots. In the conflict zone since 6/6/1982 (G.F. Foster).
Supply transport "Laertes"
Displacement: 11,804 tons. Speed: 18 knots.
Requisitioned 28 May 1982. Equipped in Devonport for the South Atlantic, completed 8 June. Arrived in the Falkland Islands in early July (HT. Reid).
Lighter "Wimpey Seahorse"
Displacement: 1598 tons. Speed: 15 knots.
In the conflict zone since 2/6/1982 (M.J. Slack).
Requisitioned from Wimpey Marine.
Water tanker "Fort Toronto"
Displacement: 31,400 tons. Speed: 15 knots.
In the conflict zone since 12.5.1982 (R.I. Kinnier).
Chartered from Canadian Pacific.
Hospital ships "Uganda"
Displacement: 16,907 tons. Dimensions: 164.6 x 21.7 x 8.4 m.
Power plant: six Parsons (2x3) steam turbines, three Babcock & Wilcox boilers. Two propellers. Speed: 16 knots
Laid down by: Barclay Curie & Company, Gpasgo Launched: 1/15/1952 Commissioned: 8/2/1952
Passenger liner, requisitioned on 10/4/1982 from P&O Lines Ltd. Converted to a hospital ship, which arrived in the war zone on 8/5/1982 (J.G. Clark). On July 13, she was withdrawn from the hospital courts. September 25 "Uganda" returned to the owner company. Chartered by the Department of Defense in November 1982 to transport cargo between Ascension Island and the Falkland Islands. 27.4.1985 the contract was completed.
On July 15, 1986, the ship arrived in Taiwan for scrapping by An Hsiung Iron and Steel Co Ltd. 8/22/1986 was washed ashore by Typhoon Wayne. By 1993, it remained unassembled.
In April 1982 the hydrographic ships Hydra, Hecla and Herald were converted into hospital ships. During the conflict, the wounded were transported from the Uganda base hospital ship to Montevideo, from where they were then transported by Air Force VC-10 transport aircraft to England.
Hydrographic vessels type "Hecla"
Displacement: total - 2733 tons, standard - 1915 tons. Dimensions: 79.3 x 15 x 4.7 m.
EU: diesel-electric; three 12-cylinder turbocharged Paxman Ventura diesel engines with 1280 hp each, one HED with 2000 hp One propeller shaft. Speed: 14 knots
Crew: 127 people.
"Hecla" (A-133)
Laid down: 6/5/1964, Yarrow & Co, Blytheswood Launched: 21/12/1964 Commissioned: 9/9/1965
In the conflict zone since 05/09/1982 (captain G.L. Nore).
In 1997, transferred to the reserve.
"Hydra" (A-144)
Laid down: 14/5/1964, Yarrow & Co, Blytheswood Launched: 14/7/1965 Commissioned: 5/5/1966
In the conflict zone since 14/5/1982 (Commander R.J. Campbell).
18/4/1986 sold to Indonesia, renamed "Dewa Kembar". Currently in service.
Hydrographic vessel "Improved Hecla" type
Displacement: total - 2945 tons, standard - 2000 tons. Dimensions: 79.3 x 15 x 4.7 m.
EU: diesel-electric; three 12-cylinder Paxman YJCZ turbocharged diesel engines, one 2000 hp HED One propeller shaft. Speed: 14 knots
Cruising range: 12,000 miles at 11 knots.
Crew: 128 people.
Aviation: One Wasp helicopter.
Landing craft: two 35-foot motor launches.
Long before Emperor Peter "cut a window" into the Baltic and laid the foundations of the Russian navy, "mistress of the seas" England had ruled the waves all over the globe for centuries. The prerequisites for this were both the special, insular location of Great Britain, and the geopolitical need to fight powerful European powers - Spain, France, Portugal.
Start
The first serious ships of Britain can be considered triremes and diremes of the Roman Empire, which approached the issue of shipbuilding as seriously as everything else - its sailing and rowing ships were the pinnacle of technology of that time. After the departure of the Romans and the formation of many different kingdoms on the territory of the British Isles, the ships of the British lost significantly in all components - tonnage, manufacturability and quantity.
The impetus for the emergence of more advanced ships was the raids of the Scandinavians - ferocious Vikings on fast and maneuverable drakkars made devastating raids on coastal churches and cities. The construction of a large patrol fleet allowed the British to significantly reduce losses from invasions.
The next stage in the development of the British navy was the invasion of William the Conqueror and the formation of a unitary state, England. Since that time, it is worth talking about the appearance of the English fleet.
English Royal Navy
The official history of the Royal Navy of England should begin with Henry VII, who increased the British fleet from 5 to 30 ships. Until the end of the 16th century, the British did not find any special laurels at sea, but after the victory over the Spanish "Invincible Armada" and a series of other victories, the situation with the naval separation from the European flagships (Spain and France) began to level off.
Corsairs and pirates - two sides of the same coin
In the history of the British Navy, a special and controversial line is worth noting the activities of the famous English corsairs, the most famous of which were Henry Morgan. Despite its frankly predatory "main activity", the first of them was knighted and defeated the Spaniards, and the second added another diamond to the English crown - the Caribbean archipelago.
British Navy
The official history of the British Navy (there are discrepancies related to the presence of the fleets of England and Scotland before 1707, when they were united) begins in the middle of the 17th century. Since that time, the British began to win fewer and fewer defeats in naval battles, gradually gaining the glory of the most powerful naval power. The peak of English superiority on the waves falls on the Napoleonic Wars. They also became a moment of glory for sailing ships that had reached their technological ceiling by that time.
The end of the Napoleonic Wars lifted the Royal Navy of Great Britain to the pedestal of the strongest fleet in the world. In the 19th century, the British were the first to change wood and sails for iron and steam. Despite the fact that the British Navy practically did not participate in major battles, it was considered very prestigious, and attention to maintaining the power and combat readiness of the naval forces was a priority. The seriousness of the British attitude to their advantage in the oceans is evidenced by the fact that the unspoken doctrine prescribed to maintain the following balance of power: the British Navy was supposed to be stronger than any two navies put together.
World War I: Big Fleet vs. High Seas Fleet
The British Navy in the First World War did not show itself as brightly as it could have been expected before its start: the Big Fleet, whose main task was to defeat the German High Seas Fleet, did not cope with its task - its losses were much greater than those of the Germans. Despite this, Britain's shipbuilding capabilities were so great that it retained its advantage, forcing Germany to abandon the tactics of large battles and switch to raider tactics using mobile submarine formations.
The creation of two, without exaggeration, landmark warships, which became the founders of entire trends in shipbuilding, dates back to this time. The first was HMS Dreadnought, a new type of battleship with powerful armament and a steam turbine plant that allowed her to develop a fantastic 21-knot speed for those times. The second was HMS Ark Royal, an aircraft carrier that served in the British Navy until 1944.
Despite all the losses of the First World War, by the end of it, Great Britain had a huge fleet on its balance sheet, hanging on a leaky budget as a heavy burden. Therefore, the Washington Agreement of 1922, which limited the crew to a certain number in each of the classes of ships, was a real salvation for the islanders.
World War II: work on the bugs
At the beginning of World War II, the Royal Navy of Great Britain had twenty-two large-capacity and aircraft carriers), 66 cruiser-class ships, almost two hundred destroyers and six dozen submarines, not counting those under construction. These forces exceeded those available to Germany and its allies by several times, which allowed the British to hope for a favorable outcome for themselves in naval battles.
The Germans, well aware of the superiority of the British, did not get involved in direct clashes with the mighty squadrons of the allies, but engaged in guerrilla warfare. A special role in this was played by submarines, of which the Third Reich riveted almost a thousand!
Karl Dönitz, the "underwater Guderian", developed the "wolf pack" tactic, which involved attacking convoys and "bite and bounce" attacks. And at first, the flying detachments of German submarines brought the British into a state of shock - the debut of hostilities in the North Atlantic was marked by a staggering number of losses in both the merchant fleet and the British navy.
An additional favorable factor for Germany was the fact that the bases of the British Navy in 1941 significantly lost in number and quality - the defeat of France, the capture of Belgium and Holland dealt a severe blow to the plans of the islanders. Well, Germany got the opportunity to effectively use small submarines with a short autonomous navigation time.
The situation was reversed by deciphering the codes of German submariners, creating a new convoy system, building a sufficient number of specialized convoy ships, as well as air support. The further successes of Great Britain at sea were associated both with huge shipbuilding capacities (the British built ships faster than the Germans sank them) and with the successes of the Allies on land. Italy's withdrawal from the war deprived Germany of her Mediterranean military bases, and the Battle of the Atlantic was won.
Falklands: conflict of interest
In the post-war period, the ships of the British Navy were seriously noted in Argentina. Despite the unofficial nature of the conflict, the loss of the islanders amounted to several hundred people, several ships and a dozen fighters. Of course, Britain, which was an order of magnitude superior in naval power, easily regained control of the Falklands.
cold war
The main arms race took place not with the old opponents - Japan or Germany, but with the recent bloc ally - the Soviet Union. The Cold War could turn hot at any moment, and so the British Navy was still on high alert. The deployment of naval bases, the development and commissioning of new ships, including submarines with nuclear weapons - all this was already done by the British at the rank of number two. The main confrontation unfolded between the two titans - the Soviet Union and the United States.
British navy today
To date, it is considered the largest in the Old World and is included (on a rotational basis) in the formations of the NATO Navy. Aircraft carriers and missile cruisers with the ability to carry nuclear warheads are the main striking force of the Navy at the present time: 64 ships, of which 12 are submarines, 2 aircraft carriers, 6 destroyers, 13 frigate-class ships, three landing, 16 minesweepers, and twenty guard and patrol boats. Another auxiliary ship, Fort George, is considered a military ship rather conditionally.
The flagship is the aircraft carrier "Bulvark" - a multifunctional ship that performs not only the tasks of basing carrier-based aircraft, but also landing functions (transporting up to 250 marines and landing equipment). Bulvark was built in 2001 and put into operation in 2005.
The main surface force is the frigates of the Norfolk series, named after the English dukes, and the underwater force is the SSBNs of the Vanguard series, equipped with nuclear missiles. The fleet is based in Plymouth, Clyde and Portsmouth, and the Plymouth base Devonport has been in this role since 1588! At that time, ships were hiding in it, waiting for the very Spanish "Invincible Armada". It is also the only one where ships with nuclear engines are repaired.
Dismantlement of ships of the British Navy of the SSBN class (nuclear submarines) is not carried out - the islanders do not have such a technological capability. Therefore, submarines that have served their service life are simply mothballed until better times.
The passage of a Russian missile cruiser near the territorial waters of Great Britain in 2013 shocked not only the inhabitants, but also the country's navy. Russian Navy off the coast of Great Britain! Despite the status of a maritime power, the British did not easily find a ship comparable in class and capable of advancing towards the Russian cruiser.
The British held the lead in creating two sea battles that changed the face of naval battles for many years: the dreadnought, a powerful and fast military vessel that surpasses its rivals both in maneuverability and salvo power, and the aircraft carrier, a ship that today is the main force of the Navy of all large countries.
Finally
What has changed in the English fleet from the time of Roman rule to the present day? The British Navy has made its way from the fragile ships of the Saxon jarls to reliable frigates and the most powerful "manovars" of the Drake and Morgan era. And then, already at the peak of his power, he was the first in everything at sea. Two world wars shook the dominion of Pax Britannika, and after him his navy.
To date, the British Navy in terms of tonnage is in 6th place, behind India, Japan, China, Russia and the USA, and the "islanders" lose to the Americans almost 10 times! Who would have thought that a couple of centuries later the former colony would condescendingly glance at the former metropolis?
Nevertheless, the British navy is not only guns, aircraft carriers, missiles and submarines. This is history. A story of great victories and crushing defeats, heroic deeds and human tragedies... "Hail Britannia, mistress of the seas!"
In 1939-1940. 49 English passenger and cargo liners (1921 - 1938 built) of medium size were converted into auxiliary cruisers for patrol and escort service: Alauhia, Alcantara, Andania, Antenor, Arawa, Ascania ”, “Asturias”, “Aurania”, “Ausonia”, “Bulolo”, “California”, “Canton”, “Carinthia”, “Carnarvon Castle”, “Carthage”, “Cathay”, “Cheshire”, “Chitral” , "Cilicia", "Circassia", "Comorin", "Corfu", "Derbyshire", "Dunnottar Castle", "Dunvegan Castle", "Esperance Bay", "Fortar", "Hestor", "Jervis Bay", " Laconia", "Laurentic", "Letitia", "Maloja", "Montclare", "Mooltan", "Moreton Bay", "Patroclus", "Pretoria Castle", "Queen of Bermuda", "Rajputana", "Ranchi" , "Ranpura", "Rawalpindi", "Salopian", "Scotsatoun", "Transylvania", "Voltaire", "Wolfe", "Worcestershire". To increase survivability, the interdeck space was filled with empty barrels. In 1939-1944. 16 cruisers were lost. In 1941-1944. 26 ships were rebuilt into transport ships, 2 - into mother ships, 3 - into floating workshops. Performance characteristics of the cruiser: standard displacement - 11 - 25 thousand tons; length - 150 - 190 m, width - 19 - 22 m, draft - 9 - 14 m; power plant -2 - 4 steam turbines and 2 - 6 steam boilers; power -2.4 - 8.5 thousand hp; speed - 15 - 19 knots; crew - 250 - 450 people. Armament: 7 - 8x1 - 152-mm guns and 3x1 - 102 or 2x1 - 76-mm guns, 2x1 - 40 anti-aircraft guns.
The ship was built at the Australian shipyard "Cockatoo DYd" and put into operation in 1929. In 1938, she was transferred to the British. The ship could also carry 37.7 thousand liters. aviation fuel. In 1943 - 1944 converted into a floating workshop for escort ships and minesweepers. In 1944 the ship was damaged and was not repaired. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 4.8 thousand tons, full - 6.5 thousand tons; length - 135.3 m, width - 18.6 m, draft - 5.3 m; power plant - 2 steam turbine engines and 4 steam boilers; power - 12 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 942 tons of oil; speed - 21 knots; cruising range - 9.1 thousand miles; crew - 450 people. Armament: 4x1 - 120 mm guns; 4x1 - 40 mm and 6x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; catapult; 6-9 seaplanes.
The ship "Ark Royal" was laid down as a merchant ship, completed as a hydro-air transport and put into operation in 1914. In 1920-1921. underwent a major overhaul. In 1934 it was renamed "Pegasus", and in 1938 it received a new catapult. The ship was decommissioned in 1946. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 7.5 thousand tons, total displacement - 8.5 thousand tons; length - 111.5 m, width - 15.5 m, draft - 5.4 m; power plant - steam engine and 2 steam boilers; power - 3 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 500 tons of oil; speed - 11 knots; crew - 180 people. Armament: 4x1 - 76 mm guns; 2x1 - 7.7 mm machine gun; catapult; 5 seaplanes.
The ships "Athene" and "Engadine" were laid down as transports at the shipyards "Greenock", "Denny", completed as hydro-air transports and put into operation in 1941. They could also carry 129.6 thousand liters. aviation fuel. The ships were decommissioned in 1946. The performance characteristics of the ship: full displacement - 10.9 / 10.7 thousand tons; length - 148.6 m, width - 19.2 m, draft - 6.1 m; power plant - 2 steam engines and 5 steam boilers; power - 8.3 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 980 tons of oil; speed - 17 knots. Booking: cellars - 37-51 mm. Armament: 1x1 - 120 mm and 1x1 - 102 mm guns; 4x1 - 40 mm and 7-10x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; up to 40 fighters with disassembled planes or 16-20 fully assembled.
The ship was built at the Fairfields shipyard and commissioned in 1935. She had various workshops, as well as a hospital. The ship was decommissioned in 1962. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 8.8 thousand tons, total displacement - 10.2 thousand tons; length - 185.3 m, width - 19.5 m, draft - 5 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines and 4 steam boilers; power - 6.5 thousand hp; speed - 15.3 knots; fuel reserve - 112 tons of oil; cruising range - 5 thousand miles; crew - 666 people. Booking: upper deck - 25 mm; lower - 51 mm. Armament: 4x1 - 102 mm guns; 2x1 - 40-mm and 4x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.
The ships "Tyne" and "Hecla" were commissioned in 1940. They had internal anti-torpedo protection 37 mm thick. The ships had a reserve of oil for destroyers - 2 thousand tons, 80 - 533-mm torpedoes and 150 depth charges. The Hecla floating base was lost in 1942, and the Tyne was decommissioned in 1973. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 11 thousand tons, total displacement - 14 thousand tons; length - 189.3 m, width - 20.1 m, draft - 6.3 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines and 4 steam boilers; power -7.5 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel reserve - 1.2 thousand tons of oil; crew - 818 people. Booking: middle deck - 51 mm. Armament: 8x1 - 114 mm guns; 2x4-40-mm and 6-16x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.
Destroyer mother ship Blenheim
The cargo ship Achilles was built in 1920 at the Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. shipyard. In 1940 she was converted into a mother ship under the designation "Blenheim". The ship was decommissioned in 1948. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 11.4 thousand tons, total displacement - 16.6 thousand tons; length - 160.5 m, width - 19.2 m, draft - 7.6 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines; speed - 14.5 knots; crew - 674 people. Armament: 4x1 - 102 mm guns; 2x4 - 40-mm and 8x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.
Merchant ship built in 1922 at the shipyard "Scotts Shipbuilding & Engineering Co." in 1941 it was rebuilt into a mother ship. The ship was decommissioned in 1948. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 11.4 thousand tons, total displacement - 16.6 thousand tons; length - 156 m, width - 19.3 m, draft - 7.6 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines; power - 6.8 thousand hp; speed - 14 knots; crew - 670 people. Armament: 4x1 - 102-mm anti-aircraft guns; 2x4 - 40-mm and 8x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.
The ship was built at the Cammell Laird Shipyard and commissioned in 1912. The mother ship was scrapped in 1949. The performance characteristics of the ship: full displacement - 935 tons; length - 58 m, width - 10 m, draft - 3.3 m; speed - 14 knots; crew - 63 people.
The ship was built at the Vickers-Armstrongs shipyard and launched in 1928. The mother ship was intended to supply 18 O, P and R submarines. 144 533-mm torpedoes and 1.9 thousand tons. fuel. The floating base died in 1942. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 14.7 thousand tons, total displacement - 18.4 thousand tons; length - 176.8 m, width - 26 m, draft - 7.1 m; power plant - 2 diesel engines; power - 8 thousand hp; speed - 15.5 knots; fuel supply - 610 tons of solarium; crew - 400 people. Booking: upper deck - up to 37 mm. Armament: 4x1 - 102 mm guns.
The ships "Forth" and "Maidstone" were built at the shipyard "John Brown & Company" and put into operation in 1938-1939. The floating base had various workshops, installations for charging submarine batteries, about 100 torpedoes and mines. The ships were scrapped in 1977-1978. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 8.9 thousand tons; length - 151 m, width - 22 m, speed - 17 knots; fuel supply - 610 tons of solarium; crew - 1167 people. Armament: 4x2 - 110 mm guns; 2x4-40-mm anti-aircraft guns.
The civilian ship "Spreewald" built in 1907 was converted into a mother ship at the shipyard "Richardson Westgarth" and put into operation in 1916 under the name "Lucia". In 1942 the ship was damaged and rebuilt. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 5.8 thousand tons; length - 110 m, width - 14 m, speed - 13 knots; crew - 262 people. Armament: 3x1 - 47 mm guns.
The civilian vessel was refitted at the Clyde Shipbuilding Co. in a mother ship and put into operation in 1916. In 1949, the ship was sent for scrapping. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 5.3 thousand tons; length - 102 m, width - 14 m, draft - 5.5 m, engine power - 3.2 thousand hp; speed - 14.5 knots; crew - 245 people. Armament: 2x1 - 533-mm torpedo tubes.
The civil ship "Indrabarah", built in 1905, was converted into a mother ship at the shipyard "Sir James Laing & Son" and put into operation in 1907. In 1947, the ship was sent for scrapping. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 11.3 thousand tons; length - 145 m, width - 16.7 m, draft - 3.6 m, speed - 13 knots; power plant - steam engine; power - 3.5 thousand hp; fuel reserve - 1.6 thousand tons of coal; crew - 266 people. Armament: 2x1 - 102 mm guns; 2x2 - 37 mm anti-aircraft guns.
The civilian ship was converted into a mother ship at the William Dobson & Co shipyard and put into operation in 1916. In 1947, the ship was scrapped. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 8.1 thousand tons; length -118 m, width - 18.5 m, draft - 8 m; speed - 11 knots; power plant - steam engine; power - 4.4 thousand hp; crew - 224 people. Armament: 4x1 - 102 mm and 1x3 - 76 mm guns 
The merchant ship was refitted at the shipyard "Harland & Wolff Ltd." in a mother ship and put into operation in 1941. In 1946, the ship was sent for scrapping. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 11.5 thousand tons; speed - 10.5 knots. Armament: 4x1 - 102 mm and 1x3 - 76 mm guns.
The ship was built at the shipyard "Harland & Wolf Ltd" and commissioned in 1942. It had an internal anti-torpedo protection 32 mm thick, a supply of solarium for submarines - 12 thousand tons. and 117 - 533-mm torpedoes. The floating base was decommissioned in 1970. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 12.7 thousand tons, total displacement - 16.5 thousand tons; length - 200.6 m, width - 21.5 m, draft - 6.5 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines and 4 steam boilers; power - 8 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; fuel reserve - 1.3 thousand tons of oil; crew - 1273 people. Booking: middle deck - 51 mm. Armament: 4x2 - 114 mm guns; 2x4 - 40 mm and 6x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns; 2x4 - 12.7 mm machine gun.
The passenger liner was built at the John Brown & Co Ltd shipyard and commissioned in 1922. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939, converted into a submarine floating base and commissioned in 1942. The ship was decommissioned in 1958. ship: standard displacement - 16.3 thousand tons, total displacement - 21.5 thousand tons; length - 170 m, width - 21 m, draft - 8.5 m; power plant - steam turbine plant and 6 steam boilers; power - 13.5 thousand hp; speed - 16 knots; crew - 542 people. Armament: 4x1 - 102-mm anti-aircraft guns; 4x2 - 40-mm and 19x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns.
The passenger liner was built at the John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company shipyard and commissioned in 1920. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939, converted into a submarine floating base and commissioned in 1940. The ship was decommissioned in 1952. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 16.4 thousand tons, full - 21.2 thousand tons; length - 171.2 m, width - 21.3 m, draft - 8.5 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines; speed - 16 knots; crew - 480 people. Armament: 4x1 - 102-mm anti-aircraft guns; 4x2 - 40 mm and 19x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.
The freighter Clan Campbell was built by the Greenock & Grangemouth Dockyard Company. In 1939, it was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted into a mother ship, which was commissioned in 1943 and renamed Bonaventure. The ship was decommissioned in 1948. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 8.1 thousand tons, total displacement - 10.4 thousand tons; length - 148 m, width - 19 m, draft - 9.1 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines and 3 steam boilers; speed - 16 knots. Armament: 2x1 - 75-mm guns and 12x1 - 20 anti-aircraft guns.
The passenger liner was built in 1929 at the John Brown & Co. shipyard. Ltd." In 1939 it was requisitioned and served as a military transport. In 1942 it was converted into a floating base for boats. In 1944 it was disarmed and returned to the owner. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 4.2 thousand tons; length -112 m, width -15.2 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines and 4 steam boilers; power - 1.5 thousand hp; speed - 21 knots. Armament: 2x1 - 75-mm guns and 12x1 - 20 anti-aircraft guns.
The merchant ship was built in 1921. In 1939 it was purchased by the government and converted into an electromagnetic minesweeper. In 1941-1942. rebuilt as a minesweeper floating base. Decommissioned in 1944. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 2 thousand tons; length - 82 m, width -11.6 m.
The ship was built at the Vickers Armstrong shipyard and put into operation in 1929. The fuel reserve for other ships is 430 tons of oil. The ship was decommissioned in 1954. The performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 12.3 thousand tons, total displacement - 15.6 thousand tons; length - 163 m, width - 25.4 m, draft - 6.8 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines and 4 steam boilers; power - 7.5 thousand hp; speed - 15.5 knots, fuel capacity - 1 thousand tons. oil; crew - 580 people. Armament: 4x1 - 102 mm guns, 4x1 - 40 mm and 10x1 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.
The passenger ship was built at the John Brown Shipbuilding & Engineering Company shipyard and commissioned in 1925. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939, rebuilt as an auxiliary merchant cruiser Artifex. In 1944, the ship was converted into a floating workshop. The ship was decommissioned in 1957. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 19 thousand tons; length - 163.6 m, width - 19.8 m, draft - 9.7 m; speed - 15 knots; crew - 590 people. Armament: 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.
The passenger ship "Aurania" was built by the shipyard "Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson Ltd." and accepted into service in 1924. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939, rebuilt into an auxiliary merchant cruiser under the name "Artifex". In 1944, the cruiser was converted into a floating workshop. The ship was decommissioned in 1961. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 14 thousand tons; length - 160 m, width - 20 m; speed - 15 knots. Armament: 4x2 - 152 mm guns and 2x1 - 76 mm guns.
The passenger ship "Antonia" was built at the shipyard "Vickers Ltd." and accepted into service in 1921. The ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1940, rebuilt into an auxiliary merchant cruiser under the name "Wayland". In 1944, the cruiser was converted into a floating workshop. The ship was decommissioned in 1948. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 13.8 thousand tons; length -158 m, width - 19.8 m; speed - 15 knots; crew - 500 people. Armament: 4x2 - 152 mm guns and 4x2 - 40 mm and 2x4 - 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.
The refrigerator ship was built by Hawthorn Leslie & Co Ltd and commissioned in 1925. In 1939 the ship was requisitioned by the Admiralty and converted into an auxiliary cruiser. In 1943 the ship was rebuilt into a floating workshop. The ship was decommissioned in 1961. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 16.7 thousand tons; length -166.6 m, width -21.7 m, draft - 13 m; power plant - 2 steam turbines and 4 steam boilers; power - 2.4 thousand hp; speed - 17 knots; crew - 500 people. Armament: 4x2 - 152-mm guns and 2x1 - 76 anti-aircraft guns.
The cargo ship "Regina" was built at the shipyard "Harland & Wolff" and commissioned in 1918. In 1922, the ship was rebuilt as a passenger ship, and in 1929 it was renamed "Westernland". Since 1940, the ship served as a military transport, a floating workshop, and a mother ship for destroyers. The ship was decommissioned in 1945. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 16.5 thousand tons; length -174.5 m, width -20.4 m, draft - 12 m.
The ship was built at the Thompson shipyard. Requisitioned in 1939 and since 1940 served as an auxiliary mine layer. In 1944-1945. converted into a floating workshop for the repair of carrier-based aircraft. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 5.8 thousand tons, total displacement - 8.8 thousand tons; length -142.6 m, width -21.2 m.
The cargo ship served as a patrol ship from 1941, and from 1944 it was rebuilt into a floating workshop to serve minesweepers. She had 2 cranes for installing paravanes on ships. Performance characteristics of the ship: standard displacement - 9 thousand tons, speed - 12 knots. Armament - 1x1 - 114 guns and 2x1 - 20-mm anti-aircraft guns; 2x1 - 7.62 mm machine gun.