HMS Avenger (F185)

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PNS Tippu Sultan, former HMS Avenger
Career (UK) RN Ensign
Name: HMS Avenger (F185)
Operator: Royal Navy
Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down: 30 October 1974
Launched: 20 November 1975
Commissioned: 15 April 1978
Decommissioned: 23 September 1994
Fate: Sold to Pakistan on 23 September 1994
Career (Pakistan) Pakistan Naval Jack
Name: PNS Tippu Sultan
Operator: Pakistan Navy
Acquired: 23 September 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 nm at 17 knots (7,400 km at 31 km/h)
1,200 nm 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 × quadruple Harpoon missile launcher
1 × Phalanx CIWS
2 × Mark 36 SRBOC chaff launchers
Aircraft carried: 1 × Westland Wasp helicopter, later refitted for 1 × Lynx

HMS Avenger (F185) 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.

Avenger took part in the Falklands War and by the mid 1980s was suffering from cracking in her hull. 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.

Avenger decommissioned and was sold to Pakistan on 23 September 1994, being renamed Tippu Sultan. Exocet was not transferred to Pakistan and Tippu Sultan had her obsolete Sea Cat launcher removed. A quadruple Harpoon missile launcher was fitted in place of the Exocet launchers and a Phalanx CIWS was fitted in place of the Sea Cat launcher. SRBOC chaff launchers and 20 mm and 30 mm guns were fitted.

Tippu Sultan remains in service with the Pakistan Navy.

En route to the Falklands with the Bristol Group
En route to the Falklands with the Bristol Group
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