| Career (United Kingdom (RN)) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS Dido (F104) |
| Builder: | Yarrow Shipbuilders |
| Laid down: | 2 December 1959 |
| Launched: | 22 December 1961 |
| Commissioned: | 18 September 1963 |
| Fate: | Sold to New Zealand. |
| Career (New Zealand (RNZN)) | |
| Name: | HMNZS Southland |
| Commissioned: | 18 July 1983 |
| Decommissioned: | March 1995 |
| Fate: | Scrapped at Goa |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Leander class frigate |
| Displacement: | 2,450 tons standard 3,200 tons full load |
| Length: | 372 ft (113 m) |
| Beam: | 41 ft (12 m) |
| Draught: | 19 ft (6 m) |
| Propulsion: | Two Babcock and Wilcox boilers delivering steam to two sets of White/English Electric geared turbines of 30,000shp on two shafts |
| Speed: | 28 knots (52 km/h) |
| Range: | 4,600 nautical miles (8,500 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Complement: | 18 officers and 248 sailors |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
1 × Type 994 air/surface search radar 1 × Type 1006 navigation radar 2 × Type 903/904 fire-control radars 1 × Type 184P active search and attack sonar 1 × Type 2031Z passive search towed array sonar |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
CAAIS (Computer Assisted Action Information System) combat information system, ESM system with UAA-8/9 warning and Type 668/669 jamming elements. |
| Armament: | 2 × 4.5-inch (110 mm) L45 DP guns in one Mk 6 twin mounting; later replaced by one Ikara ASW missile launcher in circular well forward 2 × quadruple Sea Cat anti-air missile launchers 2 × 40-millimetre (1.6 in) Bofors guns 2 × Mk 32 triple 12.75-inch (324 mm) mountings for Mk46 or Stingray torpedoes |
| Aircraft carried: | 1 × Wasp, later Lynx helicopter |
HMS Dido (F104) was a Royal Navy (RN) Leander class Batch 2TA frigate. Entering service in 1961, Dido was involved in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, served with NATO's Standing Naval Force Atlantic on several occasions, and was one of the frigates used for the filming of the drama series Warship.
Following a defence review at the start of the 1980s, the ship was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), and was recommissioned as HMNZS Southland. Southland remained in service until 1995. After decommissioning, the frigate was towed to the Philippines, where her boilers were removed, then to India for scrapping.
Contents |
She was built by Yarrow of Glasgow. She was originally to be called HMS Hastings. The naming ceremony for Dido took place on 21 December 1961, but her launch was delayed until the next day because of fog.[1]
The ship was assigned to the Far East, joining the 22nd Escort Group in 1964 and took part in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, and became leader of the 21st Escort Group the following year.
Dido was reassigned to the NATO Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) in 1969 and also took part in a fleet review at Spithead on 16 May 1969 as part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the formation of NATO.
The ship was one of four used as the fictional frigate HMS Hero in the 1970s BBC television drama series Warship.
Dido was extensively refitted at Devonport between July 1975 and October 1978, as a Batch 1B Ikara conversion (and the last to be completed). An Ikara ASW missile launcher replaced one of the ship's twin 4.5-inch (110 mm) guns and various sensors were upgraded. In 1983 the ship was briefly assigned again to STANAVFORLANT.
As a result of the 1981 Defence Review which had recommended the disposal of some older frigates, the ship was sold to the RNZN, along with sister ship HMS Bacchante. After a short refit at Vosper Thornycroft the ship was recommissioned on 18 July 1983 as HMNZS Southland.
Decommissioned in 1995, HMNZS Southland was towed away by two patrol craft to the Philippines where her boilers were removed for a rubber plantation. Then towed to Singapore where she was sold to an Indian tug company who towed her to Goa beach in India. She was pulled up on the beach and her parts were sold.
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