Duke-class Type 23 Frigate
Circa mid 2000s
Particulars
Displacement: 3,500 tons. Dimensions: Length 133m (436ft 2in), Beam 16.1m (52ft 8in), Draught 7.3m (23ft 9in).
Machinery: Combined diesel-electric or gas (CODLAG) system consisting of four 1,510kW (2,025shp) Paxman Valenta 12CM diesel generators,
two GEC electric motors delivering 2,980kW (4,000shp), two Rolls-Royce Spey SM1C delivering 23,190kW (31,100shp) giving a top speed of 28 knots (52km/h, 32mph)
and a range of 7,800 nautical miles (14,000km) at 15 knots (28km/h).
Operational Complement: 185 with accommodation for up to 205.
Armament: Anti-air missiles: Sea Wolf air defence system 1 x 32 cell VLSW,
2 × quad Harpoon launchers.
Guns: 1 × Vickers 4.5in (113mm) Mk 8 (Mod 0) Naval Gun,
2 × 30mm ASCG guns, 8 × general-purpose machine guns.
Anti-submarine torpedoes: 2 × twin 12.75in (324mm) Sting Ray torpedo tubes.
Aircraft carried: 1 × Westland Lynx HMA Mk3/8.
Sensors: Plessey Radar Type 996 3D air/surface search, Kelvin Hughes Radar Type 1007 and Racal Decca Type 1008.
BAe GSA 8B/GPEOD TV/IR/Laser director. GWS 26 (for SAM) and ASCG for 30mm, Ferranti/Thompson Sintra Type 2050; bow-mounted active search and attack.
Electronic warfare & decoys: Outfit DLB, 4 Seagnat 6 barrelled launchers. DLF 2/3 offboard decoys.
Brief History
HMS SOMERSET is the fourth ship to bear the name in the Royal Navy, and the eleventh Type 23 Frigate.
She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd at Scotstoun and launched on 25 June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard and commissioned on 20 September 1996.
Ship’s Motto: Foy pour Devoir "Faith for Duty"
Battle Honours: Vigo Bay 1702, Velez Malaga 1704, Louisburg 1758 and Quebec 1759.