HMS Charybdis (F75)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career

Ordered:
Laid down:	27th January 1967
Launched:	28th February 1968
Commissioned:	2nd June 1969
Decommissioned:	30th September 1991
Fate:	Sunk as target 11th June 1993
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:
Length:
Beam:
Draught:
Propulsion:
Speed:
Range:
Complement:
Armament:
Aircraft:
Motto:

HMS Charybdis (F75) was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy (RN). She was built by the famous Harland & Wolff company of Belfast, and was the last ship to be built there for British naval forces until RFA Fort Victoria of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary, was launched in 1990. Charybdis was launched on the 28th February 1968 and commissioned on the 2nd June 1969. Her nickname was the "Cherry B".

In 1969, Charbydis moved to sunnier climes when she became guardship of Gibraltar. The following year, Charbydis deployed to the Far East and Pacific at a time when there was a large RN presence in those regions. During her time there, Charybdis took part in a number of exercises with Commonwealth countries, including Exercise Longex with New Zealand. Charybdis visited many countries on 'fly the flag' duties, which remains a prominent role for a Royal Navy warship.

In 1976, Charybydis was deployed to the Mediterranean where she would be stationed. The following year, Charybdis joined the Fishery Protection Squadron, just a year after the Third Cod War had ended, and also that, Charybdis took part in the last RN Fleet Review so far, in celebration of the Silver Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. In early 1979, Charybdis underwent yet another Mediterranean patrol.

From 1979-82, Charybdis underwent modernisation that included the fitting of Exocet and SeaWolf, and the removal of her single twin 4.5-in gun. In late 1982, in the aftermath of the Falklands War, Charybdis deployed on a Falkland Islands patrol, which at the time was still a tense region. Through the rest of the 1980s, Charybdis undertook duties in the West Indies and Mediterranean. In 1990, Charybdis was on Eastern Mediterranean Patrol during the build-up to the First Gulf War. In September 1991, Charybdis was decommissioned. She did not end her career quietly like some other vessels, instead she was sunk as a target on the 11th June 1993.