| Career (US) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | USS Jack Williams |
| Owner: | US Navy |
| Ordered: | 28 February 1977 |
| Builder: | Bath Iron Works |
| Laid down: | 25 February 1980 |
| Launched: | 30 August 1980 |
| Decommissioned: | 13 September 1996 |
| Honours and awards: |
Jack Williams |
| Fate: | Transferred to Bahrain on 13 September 1996 |
| Career (BH) | |
| Name: | RBNS Sabha |
| Owner: | RBNF |
| Commissioned: | 13 September 1996 |
| Status: | In service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Oliver Hazard Perry (frigate) |
| Displacement: | 4,100 long tons (4,200 t), full load |
| Length: | 453 feet (138 m), overall |
| Beam: | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Draft: | 22 feet (6.7 m) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × General Electric LM2500-30 gas turbines generating 41,000 shp (31 MW) through a single shaft and variable pitch propeller 2 × Auxiliary Propulsion Units, 350 hp (260 kW) retractable electric azipods for maneuvering and docking. |
| Speed: | over 29 knots (54 km/h) |
| Range: | 5,000 nautical miles at 18 knots (9,300 km at 33 km/h) |
| Complement: | 15 officers and 190 enlisted, plus SH-60 LAMPS detachment of roughly six officer pilots and 15 enlisted maintainers |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
AN/SPS-49 air-search radar AN/SPS-55 surface-search radar CAS and STIR fire-control radar AN/SQS-56 sonar. |
| Armament: |
As built:
|
| Aircraft carried: | 2 × SH-60 LAMPS III helicopters |
RBNS Sabha (formerly known as USS Jack Williams FFG-24 during its career in US) is a frigate now in service with the Royal Bahrain Naval Force. The ownership was transferred to Bahrain as a gift on 13 September 1996. The frigate was ordered by the US Navy on 28 February 1977, and laid down on 25 February 1980. It was officially launched by the US Navy on 30 August 1980. The frigate is now considered as the lead frigate of the Royal Bahrain Naval Force.
During its career as USS Jack Williams (FFG-24) in the United States, it was the sixteenth ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry Class of guided-missile frigates. It was named for Pharmacist's Mate Second Class Jack Williams, who was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his heroism in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
The frigate was ordered from Bath Iron Works on 28 February 1977 as part of the FY77 Program. Jack Williams was laid down on 25 February 1980; launched on 30 August 1980 and commissioned on 19 September 1981. Decommissioned and stricken on 13 September 1996, she was transferred to Bahrain the same day, and recommissioned as the RBNS Sabha. USS Jack Williams (FFG-24) was the first ship of that name in the US Navy.