HMS Andromeda (F57)

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Career

Ordered:
Laid down:	25th May 1966
Launched:	24th May 1967
Commissioned:	2nd December 1968
Decommissioned:	June 1993
Fate:	Sold to Indian Navy 1995. Renamed Krishna
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HMS Andromeda (F57) was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built at HM Dockyard Portsmouth, the last ship to be built at that prestigious dockyard that had built the revolutionary Dreadnought. She was launched on the 24th May 1967 and commissioned into the RN on the 2nd December 1968.

In 1970, while on Beira Patrol, a deployment that was used to prevent oil reaching Rhodesia via Mozambique, Andromeda was the first to reach the stricken tanker RFA Ennerdale, also on Beira Patrol, who had struck an uncharted pinnacle of rock off the Seychelles. She was later destroyed by explosives. Later that year, Andromeda took part in a large operation when a Liberian tanker, known as Pacific Glory, ran aground near the Isle of Wight, after a collision with another tanker.

In 1973, Andromeda took part in the Second Cod War, patrolling against any aggression by Icelandic vessels. During the 'war', Andromeda was rammed by the Icelandic gunboat Odin. The following year, Andromeda, as-well as other RN vessels, including her sistership Argonaut, had to evacuate British civilians from the Mediterranean island of Cyprus after Turkey had invaded it. In December 1975, Andromeda took part in the Third Cod War, during which she collided with the Icelandic gunboat Tyr. In early January the following year, Andromeda was rammed by Thor, another gunboat; both ships were slightly damaged.

In 1977, Andromeda took part in the Fleet Review of the RN, during the Silver Jubilee celebrations for HM the Queen. Between 1978-80, Andromeda underwent modernisation, including the addition of the Exocet and SeaWolf missiles. She joined the Falklands War in 1982, rather late. As part of 'Bristol Group', did not arrive in the Falklands until the 26th May. She mainly performed escort duties, and suffered no damage during the war. Andromeda departed the South Atlantic in August, returning to the UK in September where jubilant crowds greeted her.

In the subsequent years of the 1980s, Andromeda performed a number of varied duties, thankfully all peaceful, patrolling the Persian Gulf on Armilla Patrol, and deployments to the Falklands and West Indies. In late summer of 1984, Andromeda docked at Baltimore Harbor in the USA for 10 days, on her way from the Falklands back home to England. Between 1990-91, Andromeda underwent a refit. She was decommissioned two-years later. Andromeda was sold to the Indian Navy in 1995. Recommissioned as the INS Krishna, the frigate remains in the Indian Navy as of 2004, and is used as a training ship. Her armament has been reduced to two 40mm Bofors and 20mm Oerlikon guns.