HMS Naiad (F39)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Career

Ordered:
Laid down:	30th October 1962
Launched:	4th November 1963
Commissioned:	15th March 1965
Decommissioned:	April 1987
Fate:	Sunk as target 1990
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:
Length:
Beam:
Draught:
Propulsion:
Speed:
Range:
Complement:
Armament:
Aircraft:
Motto:

HMS Naiad (F39) was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy (RN). Like the rest of the class, Naiad was named after a figure of mythology. Naiad was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders of Scotstoun. She was launched on the 4th November 1963 and commissioned on the 15th March 1965.

In 1966, Naiad became the leader of the Northern Ireland Squadron and subsequently deployed to the Far East and South America. In 1970, Naiad deployed to the Far East, and while there, participated in the Beira Patrol, designed to prevent oil reaching the landlocked Rhodesia via the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique. She performed her second patrol the following year. The Beira Patrol would be a regular deployment for the RN until 1975.

In January 1973, Naiad began her modernisation that included her one twin 4.5-in gun being replaced by the Australian designed Ikara anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missile system. The modernisation was completed in 1975. The following year, Naiad undertook a Fishery Protection Patrol during the Third Cod War, and while there, was rammed by the Icelandic gunboat Tyr causing some hull damage. In 1977, Naiad, like many other Leanders, took part in the last Fleet Review, so far, of the Royal Navy, and which took place at Spithead in celebration of HM the Queen's Silver Jubilee. Naiad was positioned in the middle of Brighton and her sister-ship Andromeda. In 1979, Naiad deployed to the Far East once again.

In 1981, Naiad deployed to the Mediterranean. In 1983, Naiad began a refit at Devonport Dockyard which was completed in 1984. In 1985, Naiad returned to the Mediterranean, as part of the NATO multi-national squadron Naval On-call Force of the Mediterranean (NAVOCFORMED), the predecessor of the Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED). The following year, Naiad joined the Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT), another NATO multi-national squadron. In April 1987, Naiad decommissioned and in 1989 was used as a static trials ship for weapons testing. In September 1990, Naiad was sunk as a target.