HMS London |
|
| Career (UK) | |
|---|---|
| Name: | HMS London |
| Ordered: | 6 February 1957 |
| Builder: | Swan Hunter |
| Laid down: | 26 February 1960 |
| Launched: | 7 December 1961 |
| Commissioned: | 4 November 1963 |
| Decommissioned: | December 1981 |
| Fate: | Sold to Pakistan on 24 March 1982 |
| Career (Pakistan) | |
| Name: | Babur |
| Acquired: | March 1982 |
| Decommissioned: | 1993 |
| Fate: | Sold for scrap in 1995 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | County-class destroyer |
| Beam: | 53 ft (16 m) |
| Propulsion: | COSAG (Combined steam and gas) turbines, 2 shafts |
| Armament: | 2 × twin 4.5-inch (114 mm) guns 2 × Sea Cat missile launchers Sea Slug missile long-range surface-to-air missile system |
| Aircraft carried: | 1 × Wessex III ASW helicopter |
HMS London was a County-class destroyer of the Royal Navy.
She commissioned at Swan Hunter's yard in Wallsend in 1963 under Captain J.C. Bartosik and initially was fully employed setting her armament to work, successfully firing her Seaslug for the first time off Aberporth in April 1964. After working up, during which she entertained HRH The Duke of Edinburgh on board, she crossed the Atlantic in September 1964. She visited Bermuda and Houston before joining a special squadron led by Vice Admiral Sir Fitzroy Talbot on a round of visits to the South American part of his command. Passing through Panama she visited Peru, Chile, Uruguay and Brazil before proceeding via Tristan da Cunha to Simonstown where she spent Christmas and New Year. She then deployed to the Far East, visiting Hong Kong, Bangkok and Subic, and Singapore and ports in Malaya. During this time she was part of a powerful fleet whose presence acted as a deterrent to Sukarno's attempt to intimidate the infant Federation of Malaysia through 'Confrontation'.
London was the last ship to leave Malta when the Maltese government closed the base. She was the last RN ship capable of firing Mark 1 Sea Slug missiles, and the last ship in Royal Navy to fire a four-gun broadside on 10 December 1981.
London was decommissioned in late December 1981 after completing a six-month deployment to the West Indies during which her crew were involved in the granting of independence to Antigua. Her Majesty the Queen was represented by Princess Margaret at the independence ceremonies.
She was sold to Pakistan on 23 March 1982 and renamed Babur. Babur was decommissioned from Pakistani service in 1993 and was sold for scrap in 1995.
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