HMS Argyll (F231)

HMS Argyll, 2009
History
UK
Name:	HMS Argyll
Operator:	Royal Navy
Ordered:	September 1986
Builder:	Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down:	20 March 1987
Launched:	8 April 1989
Commissioned:	31 May 1991
Homeport:	HMNB Devonport, Plymouth
Identification:	Pennant number: F231 International callsign: GACG
Motto:	Ne Obliviscaris "Lest We Forget"
Status:	in active service
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type 23 Frigate
Displacement:	4,900 t (4,800 long tons; 5,400 short tons)
Length:	133 m (436 ft 4 in)
Beam:	16.1 m (52 ft 10 in)
Draught:	7.3 m (23 ft 9 in)
Propulsion:	CODLAG: Four 1510 kW (2,025 shp) Paxman Valenta 12CM diesel generators Two GEC electric motors delivering 2980kW (4000 shp) Two Rolls-Royce Spey SM1C delivering 23,190 kW (31,100 shp)
Speed:	In excess of 28 kn (52 km/h; 32 mph)
Range:	7,500 nautical miles (14,000 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h)
Complement:	185 (accommodation for up to 205)
Electronic warfare & decoys:	UAF-1 ESM, or, UAT Mod 1 Seagnat Type 182 towed torpedo decoy Surface Ship Torpedo Defence
Armament:	Anti-air missiles: 1 × 32-cell Sea Wolf GWS.26 VLS canisters for 32: Sea Wolf missiles (range 1-10 km) Anti-ship missiles: 2 × quad Harpoon launchers Anti-submarine torpedoes: 2 × Twin 12.75 in (324 mm) Sting Ray torpedo tubes Guns: 1 × BAE 4.5 inch Mk 8 naval gun 2 × 30mm DS30M Mk2 guns, or, 2× 30mm DS30B guns 2 × Miniguns 4 × General purpose machine guns
Aircraft carried:	1 × Lynx HMA8, armed with; 4 × Sea Skua anti ship missiles, or 2 × anti submarine torpedoes or 1 × Westland Merlin HM1, armed with; 4 × anti submarine torpedoes
Aviation facilities:	Flight deck Enclosed hangar

The third and current HMS Argyll is a Type 23 'Duke' Class frigate. She is currently the oldest serving Type 23 frigate in the Royal Navy. Like all of her class she is named for a British dukedom, in this case that of Argyll. Argyll will be the first Type 23 to be fitted with the new Sea Ceptor missile system.

HMS Argyll was laid down in March 1987 by Yarrow Shipbuilders at Glasgow, and launched in 1989 by Lady Wendy Levene, sponsored by the Worshipful Company of Paviors. It was commissioned in May 1991. Argyll is currently based at Devonport Dockyard. It is planned that she will retire in 2023.

In March 2014, she accidentally fired a test (unarmed) torpedo whilst training at Devonport, there were no injuries and minimal damage.

In 2000, Argyll was part of the Royal Navy task force - Task Group 342.01 - — comprising Illustrious, Ocean, Iron Duke, Chatham, and four RFA ships — that deployed to Sierra Leone as part of the British military intervention in the Sierra Leone civil war. During those operations, Argyll acted as the West African Guardship and remained off West Africa until September 2000. Throughout this period ARGYLL operated with her Lynx HMA Mk 8 Helicopter. The Lynx undertook daily patrols and searches. The Lynx was instrument during Operation BARRAS. During her deployment, the helicopter was scrambled to search for a missing passenger ferry. The aircraft's crew quickly located the vessel and provided escort for Argyll. Argyll saved fifty-eight lives from drowning. She was relieved by her sister-ship Iron Duke in September. 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 Iron Duke for completing the construction of the six classrooms.

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