Design and description
The Oslo class was based on the American Dealey-class destroyer escorts with modifications for northern sea conditions, including more freeboard forward. Oslo was 93.9 metres (308 ft 1 in) long between perpendiculars and 96.6 metres (316 ft 11 in) long overall with a beam of 11.2 metres (36 ft 9 in) and a draught of 5.3 metres (17 ft 5 in). The ship had a standard displacement of 1,450 long tons (1,473 t) and was 1,745 long tons (1,773 t) at full load. [lower-alpha 1] The frigate was powered by one set of STAL-de Laval PN20 double reduction geared turbines driving one shaft powered by steam provided by two Babcock & Wilcox boilers, rated at 20,000 shaft horsepower (14,914 kW). The ship had a maximum speed of 25 knots (46 km/h; 29 mph) and a range of 4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph). Oslo was initially armed with four 3-inch (76 mm)/50 calibre guns mounted in twin turrets. [lower-alpha 2]
After a refit in the late 1970s Oslo mounted the two twin 3-inch mounts, six Penguin surface-to-surface missiles, one Mk 29 octuple launcher for Sea Sparrow surface-to-air missiles, carrying 24 missiles in total, and six Mk 32 324 mm (13 in) torpedo tubes in two triple mounts. The ship received her Mk 91 radar director for the Sea Sparrow missiles, and was fitted with DRBU 22, TM 1226 and HSA M 22 radars and SQS-36 sonar. In the late 1980s, Oslo underwent another modernisation. This time the aft twin 3-inch mount was removed to make space for the Teme III rocket-launched depth charges and 40 mm/70 calibre gun and Terne III and TSM 2633 hull and variable depth sonar and replacing the SQS-36. The frigate had a complement of 150 officers and ratings.
Santa María (F81) is the lead ship of six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design. The vessel was constructed in 1982 and was launched on 11 November 1984. Santa María was commissioned on 12 October 1986. The frigate has served in NATO maritime operations.
Reina Sofía (F84) is the fourth of six Spanish-built Santa María-class frigates of the Spanish Navy. The Santa María class is based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design, providing an anti-air warfare platform with anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare capabilities at a reduced cost. Reina Sofía was constructed by Bazan and was laid down on 12 October 1987 and launched on 19 July 1989. The ship was commissioned in 1990 and has seen service in the Mediterranean Sea and off Somalia.
Numancia (F83) is the third of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design. The frigate was constructed in Spain by Bazan and laid down on 8 January 1986; launched on 29 January 1987; and entered service with the Spanish Navy on 17 November 1989. Based at Rota, Numancia has been deployed to the Indian Ocean to fight piracy in Somalia as part of Operation Atalanta and to the Mediterranean Sea to intercept illegal trafficking of migrants as part of Operation Sophia.
Canarias (F86), is the last of the six Spanish-built Santa María-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, which are based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design. The Santa María class offer both anti-air and anti-submarine defence for the Spanish Navy. The frigate was laid down by Bazan on 15 April 1992 and launched on 21 June 1993. Upon entering service on 14 December 1994, Canarias was homeported at Rota and assigned to the 41st Escort Squadron. Canarias has been assigned to Operation Atalanta of the Somali coast, combatting piracy and Operation Sophia in the Mediterranean Sea, intercepting illegal trafficking of migrants.
Navarra (F85) is the fifth of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, which are based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry-class design. The vessel was constructed by Bazan and launched on 23 October 1992 and commissioned on 27 May 1994. The Santa Maria-class frigates provide anti-submarine and anti-air defence for the Spanish Navy.
Victoria (F82) is the second of the six Spanish-built Santa Maria-class frigates of the Spanish Navy, based on the American Oliver Hazard Perry class design. Constructed in 1983, the vessel was launched on 23 July 1986 and commissioned on 11 November 1987. The frigate has been assigned to Operation Atalanta, fighting piracy of the Somalian coast.
The Almirante Padilla-class frigates is a series of frigates operated by the Colombian Navy. The designation of this class is Type FS 1500 and there are four ships in service. The ships were built by Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW) at Kiel, West Germany in the 1980s, with the first vessel commissioning in 1983 and the last in 1984. The frigates have undergone significant modification over their careers with the 2012 Orion Program Upgrade significantly modernising the vessels. Two similar ships operate as the Kasturi-class corvettes in the Royal Malaysian Navy.
The Cheng Kung-class frigates are eight guided-missile frigates in service in the Republic of China Navy (ROCN). They are based upon the U.S. Oliver Hazard Perry class and built by China Shipbuilding Corporation in Kaohsiung, Taiwan under license throughout the 1990s as part of the Kuang Hua I project. These frigates served as the mainstay of the ROCN's area air defense capability prior to the acquisition of the Keelung (Kidd)-class destroyers in 2005. They are designated with the hull classification PFG rather than FFG used by the Oliver Hazard Perry class.
The Wielingen class is a class of four multi-functional frigates constructed for and operated by the Belgian Naval Component. In service from 1976 to 2008 with the Belgians, three of the class were sold to Bulgaria for service with the Bulgarian Navy beginning in 2004. The fourth, Westhinder, ran aground in 1988, was decommissioned in 1993 and was scrapped.
NNS Aradu (F89) is a Nigerian Navy frigate. She is the first of the MEKO 360 general purpose frigates built by the German company, Blohm + Voss. The 125.6-metre ship is the largest in the Nigerian Navy. As a general purpose frigate, Aradu has capabilities for anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine warfare effectively, and participated in the 200th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar. The ship also possesses capability for naval fire support and electronic warfare. Additionally, she carries a ship-borne helicopter for anti-submarine warfare, search and rescue, and enhanced surveillance/detection.
USS Gray (FF-1054) was a United States Navy Knox-class frigate. She was named for Marine Corps Sergeant Ross F. Gray, who was a posthumous recipient of the Medal of Honor.
USS Rathburne (FF-1057) was a Knox-class frigate of the US Navy. Despite the different spelling, she was named for Continental Navy officer John Rathbun (1746-1782).
The Annapolis-class destroyer escort was a two-ship class of destroyer escorts that saw service with the Royal Canadian Navy and Canadian Forces from the 1960s to the 1990s. The final version of the St. Laurent-class design, the class was used extensively for anti-submarine warfare purposes. Both ships were sunk as artificial reefs after being retired, one on each coast of Canada.
HMCS Chaudière was a Restigouche-class destroyer and the second vessel of her class that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1959 to 1974. She was the second Canadian naval unit to bear this name. During the summer of 1974 she along with her sister ship HMCS Columbia served as the base of operations for the Esquimalt Sea Cadet Camp while being docked at the DND jetty in Colwood. This location was across the harbour from the main site of CFB Esquimalt. Following the vessel's decommissioning, the ship was used as a source for spare parts for the other surviving members of her class. In 1991, Chaudière was sold for use as an artificial reef and sunk off the coast of British Columbia.
HMCS Gatineau was a Restigouche-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces during the Cold War from 1959 to 1996. She was the third ship in her class and the second vessel to carry the designation HMCS Gatineau. She was sold for scrapping in 2009.
HMCS St. Croix was a Restigouche-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1958 to 1974. The fourth ship commissioned in the class, she was the second ship to bear the name. Following her decommissioning, the ship was used as a training ship at Halifax, Nova Scotia until 1991, when St. Croix was sold for scrapping.
HMCS Columbia was a Restigouche-class destroyer that served in the Royal Canadian Navy and later the Canadian Forces from 1959 to 1974. Columbia was the seventh and final ship in her class and is the second Canadian naval unit to carry the name HMCS Columbia. Following her service, she was kept at Esquimalt in an altered condition, no longer capable of sailing. During the summer of 1974 she along with her sister ship HMCS Chaudiere served as the base of operations for the Esquimalt Sea Cadet Camp while being docked at the DND jetty in Colwood. This location was across the harbour from the main site of CFB Esquimalt. Columbia was sold for use as an artificial reef and sunk off the coast of British Columbia in 1996.
The Baleares class were a group of five frigates built for the Spanish Navy in the late 1960s and 1970s. The ships were a modified version of the American Knox-class frigates. The key differences are the replacement of helicopter facilities by a medium-range surface-to-air missile system and associated radars. Constructed between 1968 and 1976, the Baleares class began entering service in 1973 and formed the 31 Escort Squadron, based at Ferrol. The five ships were upgraded several times during their service lives. The ships were retired beginning in the mid-2000s and replaced by the Álvaro de Bazán-class frigates on a one-to-one basis.
The Dealey-class destroyer escorts were the first post-World War II escort ships built for the United States Navy.
Drazki is a Wielingen-class frigate of the Bulgarian Navy. Originally constructed for and operated by the Belgian Naval Component as Wandelaar, the frigate was designed as a platform capable of multiple uses as an escort during the Cold War in the North Sea and English Channel. The vessel uses weapons and sensor technology from NATO counterparts, which was one of the reasons the ship was acquired by the Bulgarian Navy in 2004. The frigate is currently in active service.
Norway
