HMS Nubian (F131)

For other ships with the same name, see HMS Nubian.

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Nubian
Builder	Portsmouth Dockyard
Laid down	7 September 1959
Launched	6 September 1960
Commissioned	9 October 1962
Identification	Pennant number F131
Fate	Sunk as target 1987
General characteristics
Class and type	Tribal-class frigate
Displacement	2,300 long tons (2,300 t) standard 2,700 long tons (2,700 t) full load
Length	360 ft 0 in (109.73 m) oa 350 ft 0 in (106.68 m) pp
Beam	42 ft 3 in (12.88 m)
Draught	13 ft 3 in (4.04 m) 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) (propellers) [1]
Propulsion	Single-shaft COSAG 1 Steam turbine 12,500 shp (9,300 kW) 1 Metrovick G-6 gas turbine 7,500 shp (5,600 kW)
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) (COSAG)
Range	4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	253
Sensors and processing systems	Radar type 965 air-search Radar type 993 low-angle search Radar type 978 navigation Radar type 903 gunnery fire-control Radar type 262 GWS-21 fire-control Sonar type 177 search Sonar type 170 attack Sonar type 162 bottom profiling Ashanti and Gurkha; Sonar type 199 variable-depth
Armament	2 × single 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mark 5* Mod 1 guns 2 × single 40 mm Mark 7 Bofors guns, later; 2 × four-rail GWS-20 Sea Cat missile systems 2 × single 20 mm Oerlikon guns 1 × Mark 10 Limbo ASW mortar
Aircraft carried	1 × Westland Wasp helicopter
Service record
Operations:	Beira Patrol

HMS Nubian was a Tribal-class frigate of the Royal Navy in service from 1962 and 1979. She was named after the Nubian ethnic group, located in Egypt and Sudan. She was sunk as a target in 1987.

Nubian was built by Portsmouth Dockyard, ^[2] at a cost of £4,360,000. ^[3] She was launched on 6 September 1960 by Lady Holland-Martin, wife of Vice-Admiral Sir Deric Holland-Martin, ^[4] and commissioned on 9 October 1962. ^[2]

Operational service

In 1964, Nubian suffered a collision that caused minor damage.^{[ citation needed ]} She joined the Beira Patrol off Mozambique in 1967, supporting the enforcement of an oil blockade of Rhodesia. ^[5] Nubian constituted the escort providing radar coverage for the Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race in 1969 that commemorated the 50th Anniversary of Alcock and Brown's non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Britain. ^[6] In 1971 she was present at Portsmouth Navy Days. ^[7] In 1975, Nubian reinforced the British garrison in Belize after Guatemala intensified its threats to annex the territory. ^[8]

Nubian was present at the 1977 Spithead Fleet Review, held in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. At this time she was part of the 5th Frigate Squadron. ^[9]

In 1978, Nubian assisted in the cleanup after the supertanker Amoco Cadiz grounded off the coast of Brittany; more than 200,000 tons (180,000 metric tons) of oil had polluted the Brittany coastline.^{[ citation needed ]}

Nubian entered the reserve in 1979, being placed in the Standby Squadron and put on the disposal list in 1981. ^[10] While in reserve, Nubian became a training ship and had parts cannibalised for three sister-ships sold to Indonesia in 1984.^{[ citation needed ]} The frigate was sunk as a target on 27 May 1987. ^[11]

References

1. Blackman 1971, p. 356.
2. Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger (1995), p. 518.
3. "Nuclear Submarine Costs £18M". The Times (55633): Col A, p. 6. 23 February 1963.
4. "Frigate in a Hurry". The Times (54870): Col B, p. 14. 7 September 1960.
5. "Navy Checks on Tanker Off Beira". The Times (56904): Col G, p. 1. 1 April 1967.
6. Abnett (2024), pp. 76, 78.
7. Programme, Navy Days Portsmouth, 29th–31st August 1971, p13.
8. "Britain winning support for Belize self-determination". The Times (59552): Col B, p. 7. 13 November 1975.
9. Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, HMSO
10. Hansard (26 April 1982), api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
11. Colledge, J. J. & Warlow, Ben (2010), p. 284.

Publications

• Abnett, Keith (2024). The Fleet Air Arm: The Cinderella Airforce with the RAF as the Ugly Sisters. Austin Macauley Publishers. pp. 76, 78. ISBN   9781398498068 . Retrieved 9 February 2025– via Google Books.
• Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. ISBN   0-354-00096-9.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN   978-1-86176-281-8.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN   978-0-8517-7605-7.
• Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983. Surrey: Ian Allan Ltd.