HMS Iron Duke (F234)

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HMS Iron Duke (F234)
Career (UK) RN Ensign
Name: HMS Iron Duke
Operator: Royal Navy
Ordered: July 1988
Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down: 12 December 1988
Launched: 2 March 1991
Commissioned: 20 May 1993
Motto: Virtutis Fortuna Comes
"Fortune is the companion of valour"
Fate: Active in service as of 2008
General characteristics
Class and type: 'Duke'-class Type 23 frigate
Displacement: 4,900 tonnes
Length: 133 m (463 ft 3 in)
Beam: 16.1 m (52 ft 10 in)
Draught: 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
Propulsion: CODLAG (Combined Diesel-eLectric And Gas)
2 × Rolls-Royce Spey boost gas-turbines
4 × Paxman Valenta diesel engines
2 × GEC electric motors
Speed: 28 knots (52 km/h)
15 knots (28 km/h) on diesel-electric
Range: 7,800 nautical miles (14,400 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement: 185
Armament: 2 × ASuW Harpoon quad launchers
Vertical launch system Sea Wolf missiles
1 × BAE 4.5 inch (110 mm) Mk 8 gun
2 × Oerlikon 30 mm guns
4 × Sting Ray torpedo tubes
Seagnat and DFL3 decoy launchers
Aircraft carried: 1 × Lynx HMA8
For other ships of the same name, see HMS Iron Duke.

HMS Iron Duke (F234) is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, and the third ship to bear the name. Iron Duke was launched on 2 March 1991 by Lady Jane King in the presence of the Duke and Duchess of Wellington. Her home town is Kingston-upon-Hull, and she is named after Arthur Wellesley, the first Duke of Wellington (the "Iron Duke"). She was the fifth Duke class Type 23 frigate to be launched for the Royal Navy at a cost of ₤140,000,000.

The motto of HMS Iron Duke is Virtutis Fortuna Comes (latin: "Fortune is the companion of valour") - inherited from the 33rd (The Duke of Wellington's) Regiment of Foot.

HMS Iron Duke carries a vast array of weapons and sensors. Although her primary rôle is anti-submarine warfare, she can be employed in a variety rôles. She carries a Lynx Helicopter which can also be used in a variety of rôles.[1]

Commander Mark Newland is the warship's current commanding officer. In May 2008, the Royal Navy announced that Prince William will serve briefly aboard HMS Iron Duke.

Contents

[edit] Deployments

In 2000, Iron Duke was part of the Royal Navy task force — comprising Illustrious, Ocean, Argyll, Chatham, and four RFA ships — that deployed to Sierra Leone during the civil war there. Iron Duke relieved HMS Argyll from her duties in September.[2] During this incident Argyll, assisted by HMS Ocean, laid the foundation for the Iron Duke Community School. This is a school for orphans in Freetown. President Kabbah of Sierra Leone decreed the school be named after the crew of HMS Iron Duke for completing the construction of the six classrooms.[3]

May 2002 saw Iron Duke re-enter service after a refit, armed with a brand new 4.5 inch Mod 1 gun. Under Commander Phil Warwick, F234 sailed into Portsmouth for her re-dedication. Amongst those in attendance were the present Duke of Wellington and Earl Jellicoe - both related to figures associated with the ship's name and career. [4] The following January saw Iron Duke deploy to the Caribbean for counter-drugs operations and hurricane season disaster relief standby, as well as visiting UK Overseas Territories for diplomatic purposes. This was the frigate's first operation since completing her refit at the end of 2001 and comprehensive training including multi-national exercises off Scotland. [5]

25 June 2003 saw HMS Iron Duke involved in a drugs bust of 3.7 tonnes of cocaine, worth over £250 million, destined for Europe. Acting on intelligence from HM Customs and Excise, the Type 23 frigate swooped on MV Yalta, landing a party of US Coast Guard sailors.[6]

February 2006 saw Iron Duke conducting trials in Loch Goil and Loch Fyne. In the first loch Iron Duke practised buoy-hopping with 4 mooring buoys. In the latter loch she spent two days transiting up and down the loch whilst being monitored from the shore.[7]

September 2006 was a busy month for Iron Duke. Under Commander Andy Jordan, she was providing a presence for UK overseas territories in the Caribbean and providing the UK contribution to the U.S. war on drugs. St Kitts and Tortola were amongst the places Iron Duke stopped at to provide a welcome respite for the crew. In Tortola the crew stopped off at St George's primary school to talk about the ship and themselves. A week later at St Kitts, Iron Duke was asked to attend the national parade. Some of the crew participated in the Brimstone Hill Fort run challenge, a run of 1.2 miles up a steep winding track to the gates of Brimstone Fortress, situated 1000 feet above sea level. Despite a valiant attempt by Steward Aden Benfield - fractionally ahead of Lt. Nathan Isaacs - the record of 8.55 minutes, set in 1998 by a team from the crew of HMS Newcastle (D87) remained unbroken. [8]

Iron Duke returned to the UK in December 2006. During her six-month deployment, the Iron Duke steamed over 31000 miles, and made 22 port visits to 18 different locations. [9]

2007 saw the Iron Duke drydocked for ten months at HMNB Portsmouth. This was an upkeep period with various systems onboard being upgraded including the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) equipment and gaining the ability to operate the Merlin helicopter. In addition to those improvements, the Iron Duke, by now under the command of Commander Mark Newland, gained the first installation of a NATO Radial Chemical, Biological, Radioactive, Nuclear (CBRN) filter system. This filter was undergoing trials prior to a potential installation across the fleet. [10] [11]

By 26 March 2008, HMS Iron Duke was halfway through her Operational Sea Training, in readiness for her deployment to the North Atlantic at the end of May. The training marked the end of an 18-month period of refit and upgrading of the capabilities of Iron Duke. All aspects of warfare were included in the training, including the infamous 'Thursday War' training exercise.[12] The Operational Sea Training (OST) also tests the readiness of the medical personnel onboard to deal with the likely casualties from a combat situation. Like all warship doctors, the one onboard Iron Duke can perform a variety of medical activities whilst onboard from regular vaccinations, medicals and the Medical Organisation For Action (MOFA)during combat. MOFA boosts the compliment of the medical staff with ten extra first aiders; these first aiders are chefs and stewards during the normal day-to-day activities. [13]

April 18 2008 saw the Iron Duke deploy to Avonmouth to train in sea and harbor safety. As part of this exercise, Avon and Somerset Police assisted in training in the co-operation between the Royal Navy and uniformed police in the event of harbor security being breached. There was also an opportunity for civic dignitaries to view the ship and her capabilities. [14] Later in April, the Iron Duke's Operational Sea Training increased in difficulty with a simulation of tension between Brownian and Ginger forces with negotiations in neutral Freeport (Devonport) and a high risk of terrorist attacks. This exercise tested the defensive capabilities of the ship and the flexibility of proportional response to threats. Later in the series of exercises a hurricane hit the simulated island of Bullpoint, allowing the Iron Duke to demonstrate her disaster relief capabilities including: first aid, providing food and shelter to the survivors and helping to rebuild basic amenities. [15]

The Iron Duke visited Kingston-Upon-Hull over the weekend of 26-29 April 2008. This was an opportunity for the ship to refresh her ties with the town and for the public to see 'their' ship with 1500 people visiting the ship during the six hours open. [16] [17]

[edit] Notable billeting

On 2008-05-31 the Ministry of Defence announced that Prince William will be transfered from the other services which he has spent time with to the Royal Navy with the rank of Sub Lieutenant. He will be referred to like his brother in the army, by the name Wales. During his assigned time the ship is scheduled to spend the summer months in the Caribbean.[18]

[edit] Affiliations

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.1518
  2. ^ Summer 2000: Duties In Sierra Leone.. The Worshipful Company of Paviors (2000-11-28).
  3. ^ Iron Duke completes 33,000-mile voyage.. Navy news newspaper (2001-02-26).
  4. ^ HMS IRON DUKE RE-ENTERS SERVICE.. Royal Navy (2002-05-22).
  5. ^ FRIGATE SAILS FOR COUNTER-DRUGS OPERATIONS.. Royal Navy (2003-01-21).
  6. ^ IRON DUKE IN £250 MILLION DRUG SWOOP.. Royal Navy (2003-06-30).
  7. ^ Scottish Trials for Iron Duke.. Royal Navy (2006-02-28).
  8. ^ Caribbean Update.. Royal Navy (2006-09-30).
  9. ^ Six Ships Return To Portsmouth In Three Days.. Royal Navy (2006-12-11).
  10. ^ Refit Period for Iron Duke.. Royal Navy (2007-07-06).
  11. ^ New CBRN Fit on HMS Iron Duke.. Royal Navy (2007-12-14).
  12. ^ HMS Iron Duke - Progress with Sea training.. Royal Navy (2008-03-26).
  13. ^ Operational Sea Training - The View From The Doctor’s Surgery.. Royal Navy (2008-03-27).
  14. ^ Pressure Is On As Royal Navy Warship Is Put Through Its Paces in Avonmouth.. Royal Navy (2008-04-16).
  15. ^ Operational Sea Training – Disaster in the Caribbean!. Royal Navy (2008-04-22).
  16. ^ Hull Welcomes Its Very Own Duke.. Royal Navy (2008-04-23).
  17. ^ Iron Duke Rounds off Successful Visit to Hull.. Royal Navy (2008-04-29).
  18. ^ Stone, Mark. "Prince To Tackle Smugglers In Caribbean", Sky News, BSkyB, 2008-05-31. Retrieved on 2008-06-01. (English) 
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Type 23 frigate
List of frigates of the Royal Navy