HMS Alacrity (F174)

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HMS Alacrity
Career (UK) RN Ensign
Name: HMS Alacrity (F174)
Operator: Royal Navy
Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down: 5 March 1975
Launched: 18 September 1974
Commissioned: 2 July 1977
Decommissioned: 1 March 1994
Motto: Adjuvero propero
("I hasten to help")
Fate: Sold to Pakistan on 1 March 1994
Career (Pakistan) Pakistan Naval Jack
Name: PNS Badr
Operator: Pakistan Navy
Acquired: 1 March 1994
Fate: Active in service as of 2008
General characteristics
Class and type: Type 21 frigate
Displacement: 3,250 tons full load
Length: 384 ft (117 m)
Beam: 41 ft 9 in (12.7 m)
Draught: 19 ft 6 in (5.9 m)
Propulsion:

COGOG:
2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines

2 × Rolls-Royce Tyne RM1A gas turbines for cruising
Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h)
Range: 4,000 nautical miles at 17 knots (7,400 km at 31 km/h)
1,200 nautical miles at 30 knots (2,220 km at 56 km/h)
Complement: 177
Armament: RN:
1 × 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mark 8 naval gun
2 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
4 × MM38 Exocet missiles
1 × quadruple Sea Cat SAMs
2 × triple ASW torpedo tubes
2 × Corvus chaff launchers
1 × Type 182 towed decoy
Pakistan:
1 × 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mark 8 naval gun
2 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon
1 × LY 60N missile launcher
2 × triple ASW torpedo tubes
2 × Mark 36 SRBOC chaff launchers
1 × Type 182 towed decoy
Aircraft carried: 1 × Westland Wasp helicopter, later refitted for 1 × Lynx

HMS Alacrity (F174) was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, she was completed with Exocet launchers in "B" position.

Alacrity participated in the Falklands War, departing Devonport on 5 April 1982.

The most notable incident involving Alacrity was the sinking of the Argentine supply ship ARA Isla de los Estados over the night of 10-11 May 1982 in the only surface action of the conflict. Alacrity was slightly damaged by an Argentine bomb on 1 May.

As Alacrity exited the Falkland Sound on May 11, the Argentine submarine, ARA San Luis was reported to have fired two torpedoes at Alacrity and her sister ship Arrow. Luckily for the British, these missed the ships and both Type 21s rejoined the Task Force.

As with the other surviving Type 21 frigates, Alacrity was suffering from cracking in her hull by the mid-1980s. She was taken in for refitting, with a steel plate being welded down each side of the ship. At the same time modifications were made to reduce hull noise.

Alacrity was decommissioned and transferred to Pakistan on 1 March 1994, being renamed Badr. Exocet was not transferred to Pakistan and Badr had her obsolete Sea Cat launcher removed. A Chinese LY 60N missile launcher was fitted in place of the Exocet launchers. Signaal DA08 air search radar replaced the Type 992 and SRBOC chaff launchers and 20 mm and 30 mm guns were fitted.

Badr remains in service with the Pakistan Navy.

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