HMS Mohawk (F125)

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HMS Mohawk
Career RN Ensign
Ordered:
Laid down: 23 December 1960
Launched: 5 April 1962
Commissioned: 29 November 1963
Decommissioned: 1980
Fate: Sold for scrap
Struck:
Motto:
This is a page about an individual ship, for general information please see: Tribal class frigate

HMS Mohawk (F125) was a Tribal-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was named after a tribe of Native Americans, who are located in Southeast Canada and New York State. Mohawk was built by Vickers of Barrow-in-Furness. She was launched on the on 5 April 1962 and commissioned on the on 29 November 1963. She had a number of nicknames, including the 'Mighty Mo'.

In 1965, Mohawk deployed to the Persian Gulf and in 1966, Mohawk deployed on Beira Patrol, a task designed to prevent oil reaching Rhodesia via the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique. The following year, Mohawk deployed to the West Indies, with Mohawk often perform a variety of duties. Soon after, Mohawk also deployed to the Mediterranean. In 1968, Mohawk became the Gibraltar Guardship and in 1969, Mohawk was back in the West Indies.

In 1970, Mohawk underwent a drastic conversion to perform her planned role of training ship, which included the removal of her aft 4.5-in gun. Astonishingly, the changes that were made to her were reversed and she did not become a training ship. In 1972, Mohawk underwent a refit. In 1974, Mohawk deployed to the West Indies once more and subsequently deployed to the equally sunny climes of the Mediterranean. In 1977, Mohawk joined Naval On-call Force of the Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED), a NATO multi-national squadron, and the predecessor of Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED).

Later that year, Mohawk, along with her sister-ship Zulu, was part of the eight-ship Group 6 deployment, led by the cruiser Tiger, that deployed to the Far East, visiting a variety of ports in fly-the-flag visits. While on the return journey homethe following year, via the Mediterranean, Mohawk suffered a slight embarrassment during the Group's visit to Malta. While in Dockyard Creek, Mohawk was preparing to leave, waiting for Rhyl to slip her moorings. Rhyl slipped her moorings too early, which forced Mohawk to also slip her moorings too early also, and once she did get into Grand Harbour, she attempted to turn left, so that she could subsequently to join up with the column. However, Mohawk's manoevres went awry, and she ended up on the steps of Customs House. Mohawk suffered some hull damage but was soon able to get underway.

In 1979, Mohawk was placed in Reserve, the Standby Squadron. In 1980, Mohawk decommissioned and the following year was placed on the disposal list and subsequently sold for scrap.

See HMS Mohawk for other ships of the name.

Tribal-class frigate
Ashanti | Eskimo | Gurkha | Mohawk | Nubian | Tartar | Zulu

List of frigates of the Royal Navy