Duke-class (Type 23)
Summary
| Origin country | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Category | Frigate |
| Subtype | Missile frigate |
| Manufacturer | Yarrow Shipbuilders and Swan Hunter |
| Year commissioned | 1987 |
| Approx. unit cost | $164 million |
| Units | F78 KENT, F79 PORTLAND, F80 GRAFTON, F81 SUTHERLAND, F82 SOMERSET, F83 ST ALBANS, F229 LANCASTER, F230 NORFOLK, F231 ARGYLL, F233 MARLBOROUGH, F234 IRON DUKE, F235 MONMOUTH, F236 MONTROSE, F237 WESTMINSTER, F238 NORTHUMBERLAND, F239 RICHMOND |
| Current operators | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
Description
The Type 23 frigate, also known as the Duke Class, is a class of frigates developed and built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. This class of ship was designed amid the need for a lighter, advanced anti-submarine warfare frigate in the late 1970s, to replace older ships such as the Leander-class frigates and the Type 21 frigate. The first Type 23, HMS Norfolk, was commissioned in 1989 and the Royal Navy currently has ten active Type 23 frigates with three sold to the Chilean Navy. The Duke Class frigates have evolved into complex, general warfare vessels, incorporating a host of new technologies and automation to reduce crew size.
The Duke Class frigates have a high operational availability, reportedly achieving an average availability of around 85-89% for operational service each year. They play a vital role in the fleet due to their versatility, being used for a range of duties besides their primary anti-submarine role.
In terms of weapons and defenses, Type 23s feature a variety of systems. Originally, they were not expected to have an anti-air warfare system, but the lessons of the Falklands War led to the introduction of the vertical launch Sea Wolf missile. In addition to the Harpoon surface-to-surface missiles, they are equipped with a medium calibre gun for naval gunfire support.
The future of the Type 23 frigates is anticipated to be replaced by the Type 26 Global Combat Ship and the Type 31 frigate. As of 2021, it is expected that the last Type 23, HMS St Albans, will retire from service in 2035. The unit cost of the latest ships is between £60 million and £96 million.
Technical specifications
| Duke | |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 4200 tons |
| Range | 13000 km at 12 knots |
| Crew | 205 members |
| Width | 16.1 m (52.8 ft) |
| Length | 133.0 m (436.4 ft) |
| Propulsion | 2 Rolls Royce SM-1 Spey gas turbines with a power of 41,540 hp each - 2 propellers |
| Armament | 8 UGM-84 (IV 2) + 1 Sea Wolf GWS 26 (32 missiles) + 1 114mm Mk.8 gun + 2 30mm DS-30B guns + 4 T/ASM MTLS + 1 Lynx HMA 8 / Merlin HM 1 helicopter |
| Maximum speed | 28 knots |
Photo of Duke class
