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HMS Norfolk (D21)
Encyclopedia
The fifth HMS Norfolk (D21) was laid down on 15 March 1966 by Swan Hunter
and launched by Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk
in November 1967. She was commissioned in March 1970. Like her predecessor she was a County-class
warship, though this time she was a destroyer
, rather than a cruiser
, and her most potent armament was not her guns, but her missiles.
In 1972 Norfolk began a refit to replace 'B' turret with four Exocet
launchers. She was thus the first Royal Navy
warship to be armed with the Exocet missile system. She also became the first warship to carry three independent missile systems (Exocet, Sea Cat
and Sea Slug
). Norfolk recommissioned in 1974. She had a displacement of 5,450 tons and was quite a large ship, considering she was classified as a destroyer. She undertook numerous deployments to the Indian Ocean
, Mediterranean Sea
and South Pacific
Ocean.
In September 1976, one of the highlights of her relatively peaceful career came, when she flew the Queen's Colour in Sweden
, when King Carl XVI Gustaf
unveiled a plaque to commemorate the British Admiral James de Saumarez
. She had an unwelcome milestone in 1979, when she became the first warship afloat to hold a Court Martial in over 10 years, during the ships visit to Fremantle, Australia. The visit itself was made to commemorate 150 years of the founding of Western Australia
.
In September 1976, Norfolk took over the UK
's commitment to Standing Naval Force Atlantic, but decommissioned in 1981 to become the Dartmouth Training Ship.
Norfolk was sold to Chile
on 6 April 1982 and renamed Capitán Prat. In 1996 she was fitted with the Barak SAM
, removing the Sea Cat
launchers. In 2001 she was refitted to Helicopter Destroyer with a Cougar attack helicopter, and removal of the Sea Slug system.
On 24 February 2006 Capitan Prat was laid up and she decommissioned on 11 August 2006.In September 2008 she sailed to Mexico for scrap.
Swan Hunter
Swan Hunter, formerly known as "Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson", was one of the best known shipbuilding companies in the world. Based in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, the company was responsible for some of the greatest ships of the early 20th century — most famously, the RMS Mauretania which...
and launched by Lavinia, Duchess of Norfolk
Lavinia Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk
Lavinia Mary Fitzalan-Howard, Duchess of Norfolk LG CBE was a British peeress....
in November 1967. She was commissioned in March 1970. Like her predecessor she was a County-class
County class destroyer
The County class was a class of guided missile destroyers, the first such vessels built by the Royal Navy. Designed specifically around the Sea Slug anti-aircraft missile system, the primary role of these ships was area air-defence around the aircraft carrier task force in the nuclear-war...
warship, though this time she was a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, rather than a cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
, and her most potent armament was not her guns, but her missiles.
In 1972 Norfolk began a refit to replace 'B' turret with four Exocet
Exocet
The Exocet is a French-built anti-ship missile whose various versions can be launched from surface vessels, submarines, helicopters and fixed wing aircraft. Hundreds were fired in combat during the 1980s.-Etymology:...
launchers. She was thus the first Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
warship to be armed with the Exocet missile system. She also became the first warship to carry three independent missile systems (Exocet, Sea Cat
Sea Cat missile
Sea Cat was a British short-range surface to air missile system intended to replace the ubiquitous Bofors 40 mm gun aboard warships of all sizes. It was the world's first operational shipboard point-defence missile system and was designed so that the Bofors guns could be replaced with minimum...
and Sea Slug
Sea Slug missile
Sea Slug was a first generation surface-to-air missile designed by Armstrong Whitworth for use by the Royal Navy...
). Norfolk recommissioned in 1974. She had a displacement of 5,450 tons and was quite a large ship, considering she was classified as a destroyer. She undertook numerous deployments to the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
, Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
and South Pacific
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
Ocean.
In September 1976, one of the highlights of her relatively peaceful career came, when she flew the Queen's Colour in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, when King Carl XVI Gustaf
Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden
Carl XVI Gustaf is the reigning King of Sweden since 15 September 1973, succeeding his grandfather King Gustaf VI Adolf because his father had predeceased him...
unveiled a plaque to commemorate the British Admiral James de Saumarez
James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez
Admiral James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez , GCB was an admiral of the British Royal Navy, notable for his victory at the Battle of Algeciras.-Early life:...
. She had an unwelcome milestone in 1979, when she became the first warship afloat to hold a Court Martial in over 10 years, during the ships visit to Fremantle, Australia. The visit itself was made to commemorate 150 years of the founding of Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
.
In September 1976, Norfolk took over the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
's commitment to Standing Naval Force Atlantic, but decommissioned in 1981 to become the Dartmouth Training Ship.
Norfolk was sold to Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
on 6 April 1982 and renamed Capitán Prat. In 1996 she was fitted with the Barak SAM
Barak SAM
Barak is an Israeli surface-to-air missile designed to be used as a point-defense missile system on warships, defending against aircraft, anti-ship missiles, and UAVs.-Barak I:...
, removing the Sea Cat
Sea Cat missile
Sea Cat was a British short-range surface to air missile system intended to replace the ubiquitous Bofors 40 mm gun aboard warships of all sizes. It was the world's first operational shipboard point-defence missile system and was designed so that the Bofors guns could be replaced with minimum...
launchers. In 2001 she was refitted to Helicopter Destroyer with a Cougar attack helicopter, and removal of the Sea Slug system.
On 24 February 2006 Capitan Prat was laid up and she decommissioned on 11 August 2006.In September 2008 she sailed to Mexico for scrap.