P 730 - Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate

 

This page provides details of the Tri-ang Minic Ships model of the Type 23 "Duke" Class frigate currently in service with the Royal Navy.

When originally designed in 1980 to replace the Leander and Broadsword Class ships the Type 23 Frigate was intended to be a simple and relatively inexpensive ship, with minimal armament, which would be supported by new generation Royal Fleet Auxiliaries that would provide hanger, repair and maintenance facilities for the frigate?s helicopter as well as area defence with a Seawolf missile system.

As a result of changing operational requirements the ship was redesigned to operate the Sea King and Merlin helicopters while its armament was enhanced by installation of Seawolf and Harpoon missile systems as well as two additional torpedo tubes and the replacement of the OTO Melera 76mm gun with the more powerful Vickers 4.5 inch gun. These design changes resulted in a more sophisticated, larger and therefore more expensive ship.

The Type 23 Frigates are powered by Combined Diesel, Electric and Gas Turbine Engines (CODLAG) with the gas turbines being used for cruising while the electric motors allow for virtually silent running when performing anti-submarine duties. To further reduce the noise signature of the vessels the engines are fitted above the waterline and the propellers have small holes around the edges. The ships are designed to be "stealthy" with the hull having rounded edges and all vertical surfaces having a slope of 7? to reduce the radar signature of the vessel while the funnels are fitted with cooling devices to reduce the heat signature.

The model is marked on the underside with the famous Tri-ang Minic logo, the model number, "Royal Navy Modern Edition", and the description "Type 23 Frigate".

Specifications

Ships in Class:

F 230 HMS Norfolk

F 231 HMS Argyll

F 229 HMS Lancaster

F 233 HMS Marlborough

F 234 HMS Iron Duke

F 235 HMS Monmouth

F 236 HMS Montrose

F 237 HMS Westminster

F 238 HMS Northumberland

F 239 HMS Richmond

F 82 HMS Somerset

F 80 HMS Grafton

F 81 HMS Sutherland

F 78 HMS Kent

F 79 HMS Portland

F 83 HMS St Albans

Builders:

Yarrow Shipbuilders, Glasgow

Swan Hunter Shipbuilders, Wallsend-on-Tyne

Laid Down:

Between 1985 and 1999

Launched:

Between 1987 and 2000

Commissioned:

Between 1990 and 2002

Displacement:

4,200 tons Full Load

Length (OA):

436 ft 2 in ( 133.0 m )

Beam:

52 ft 10 in ( 16.1 m )

Draft:

18 ft (5.51 m )

Armament:

1 x Vickers 4.5" Mk 8 main gun forward

2 x 30 mm DES/MSI anti-aircraft guns in single mounts

2 x Quad Harpoon long range SSM launchers forward

1 x Seawolf 32 canister SAM launcher forward

2 x twin Stingray torpedo launchers port / starboard

Countermeasures:

4 x Sea Gnat 6 barrelled launchers

2 x DLF offboard decoys

1 x Towed torpedo decoy

Propulsion:

2 Rolls Royce Spey SM1A gas turbines 31000 hp,

4 Paxman 12CM diesels 8100 hp,

2 GEC motors 4000 hp

Maximum Speed:

28 knots

Complement:

181

Disposal:

In service

(Statistical information from Jane's Fighting Ships 2003 Edition)

 

 

 

Further details of the actual ships can be obtained from the following links -

The Royal Navy Post War Web Site

http://www.btinternet.com/~warship/Today/type23.htm

The Haze Gray & Underway Web Site

http://www.hazegray.org/worldnav/europe/uk.htm#3