![]() HMS Birmingham | |
Class overview | |
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Name | Type 42 |
Builders | Vickers, Cammell-Laird, Swan Hunter, Vosper Thorneycroft, CFNE Argentina |
Operators |
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Preceded by | |
Succeeded by |
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Subclasses | Batches 1, 2 and 3 |
In service | 1975–2013 |
Completed | 16 |
Lost | UK: 2 (Falklands War) |
Retired | 14 |
General characteristics | |
Type | Guided-missile destroyer |
Displacement | |
Length | |
Beam | |
Draught | |
Decks | 8 |
Installed power | 50,000 shp (37 MW) |
Propulsion |
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Speed |
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Range | 4,200 nmi (7,800 km; 4,800 mi) single Tyne RM1C/other shaft trailing at 13.8 kn (25.6 km/h; 15.9 mph) |
Boats & landing craft carried | 2 |
Complement | |
Sensors & processing systems | |
Electronic warfare & decoys |
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Armament |
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Aircraft carried |
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Aviation facilities | Flight deck and enclosed hangar for embarking one helicopter |
The Type 42 or Sheffield class was developed to provide the Royal Navy with a cost-effective, medium-sized guided-missile destroyer focused on fleet air defence. Conceived in the late 1960s after the cancellation of the more complex and expensive Type 82, the Type 42 was intended to protect naval task groups against airborne threats using the Sea Dart missile system. [4]
While the smaller design allowed for more ships to be built within budget constraints, it imposed compromises in endurance, sea-keeping, and space for future weapons or sensor upgrades. [5] Over its 38 years of service, the class underwent three production batches that addressed some of the class's limitations by lengthening the hull, improving radar and missile systems, and adding close-in weapon systems. [4]
Two vessels, HMS Sheffield (D80) and HMS Coventry (D118), were lost in the 1982 Falklands War, prompting further modifications including enhanced damage control measures, updated electronic warfare suites and changes to material used in the ships' furnishings. [5] The class served as the backbone of Royal Navy air defence and demonstrated a trade-off between affordability and capability reflecting broader Royal Navy strategic priorities during the Cold War and post-Cold War periods, concluding in 2013 when they were replaced by the more capable Type 45 destroyer. [4]
In addition to British service, two Type 42s were built for the Argentine Navy. These ships saw limited upgrades and were eventually retired. [6]
Following the cancellation of the Type 82 air-defence destroyers and the proposed CVA-01 aircraft carrier by the Labour Government in 1966, the Type 42 was conceived as a lighter, cheaper alternative with similar capabilities. The class was fitted with the GWS30 Sea Dart surface-to-air missile, first deployed on the sole Type 82 destroyer, HMS Bristol (D23). [7] The ships also had a flight deck and hangar to operate an anti-submarine warfare helicopter, increasing their versatility compared to the Type 82, which had a flight deck but no hangar. [8]
Designed in the late 1960s to provide fleet air defence, fourteen vessels were constructed in three distinct batches. In addition to the Royal Navy ships, two were built to a Batch 1 specifications for the Argentine Navy. ARA ARA Hércules (B-52) was built in the Vickers Shipbuilding yard in Barrow-in-Furness, United Kingdom, and delivered August 1976. ARA ARA Santísima Trinidad (1974) was built at the AFNE Río Santiago Shipyard in Buenos Aires and commissioned in July 1981. [9]
The class was budgeted at £19 million per hull but exceeded that limit and the original design proposal was £21 million. To cut costs, the first two batches had 47 feet removed from the bow forward of the bridge, reducing the beam-to-length ratio. These early Batch 1 ships performed poorly during sea trials in heavy weather, prompting a review. [10] Batch 2 ships, beginning with HMS Exeter (D89), incorporated improved sensors and minor layout changes. The ninth hull, HMS Manchester (D95), was lengthened during construction, resulting in better seakeeping, and follow-on ships were built to this standard. Strengthening girders were added to the weather decks of Batch 1 and 2 ships, while Batch 3 vessels were built with an external strake to counter longitudinal cracking. [11]
HMS Sheffield (D80) and HMS Coventry (D118) were both sunk in the Falklands War. [12] This was the first conflict since World War II in which surface warships of the same design served on opposing sides. Although there was no direct contact between the ships, both Santísima Trinidad and Hércules locked on to Sea Harrier, XZ451 piloted by Flt Lt Mortimer, with their Type 909 fire-control radars on the 1 May 1982, Mortimer retreated. [13] [14]
The final ship of the class, HMS Edinburgh (D97), was decommissioned on 6 June 2013. [15] Hércules remained in service in a transport and amphibious role and was declared non-operationa in 2020 and formally decommissioned in 2024, while Santísima Trinidad sank at her birth at the Port Belgrano Naval Base in January 2013, she was in poor condition before sinking, having been cannibalised to keep Hércules operational. [16]
The first batch had the 965 or 966 surveillance radar, which had a "slow data-rate". [17] The Type 992Q radar used to designate targets for the gun and missiles lacked Moving Target Indiction (MTI). Though "British radar manufacturers [had] offered to retrofit MTI to these radars... nothing was done." [17] Without MTI, the Type 992Q had difficulty in tracking aircraft when land was behind the aircraft or when there was snow or rain showers. [17] The Type 42 also had "insufficient space for an efficient operations room". [17]
The Type 42 was also equipped with a 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun and earlier vessels had six Ships Torpedo Weapon System (STWS) torpedo launchers. Two Phalanx Mk 15 close-in weapon systems (CIWS) were fitted to British Type 42s after the loss of Sheffield to an Exocet missile in 1982.
There have been three batches of ships, batch 1 and 2 displacing 4,820 tonnes and batch 3 (sometimes referred to as the Manchester class) displacing 5,200 tonnes. The batch 3 ships were heavily upgraded, though the proposed Sea Wolf systems upgrades were never fitted. Because of their more general warfare role, both Argentine ships were fitted with the MM38 Exocet, and not with a CIWS.
The electronics suite included one Type 1022 D band long-range radar with Outfit LFB track extractor or one Type 965P long-range air surveillance radar, one Type 996 E band/F band 3D radar for target indication with Outfit LFA track extractor or type 992Q surface search, two Type 909 I/J-band fire-control radars and an Outfit LFD radar track combiner.
All ships were propelled by Rolls-Royce TM3B Olympus and Rolls-Royce RM1C Tyne marinised gas turbines, arranged in a COGOG (combined gas or gas) arrangement, driving through synchronous self-shifting clutches into a double-reduction, dual tandem, articulated, locked-train gear system and out through two five-bladed controllable pitch propellers. All have four Paxman Ventura 16YJCAZ diesel generators, each generating 1 megawatt of three-phase electric power (440 V 60 Hz).
The first of the class, Sheffield, was initially fitted with exhaust deflectors on her funnel tops to guide the high-temperature exhaust efflux sidewards and minimise damage to overhead aerials. As this provided a prominent target for then-new infrared homing missiles, only Sheffield and the two Argentine ships, Hércules and Santísima Trinidad exhibited this. All subsequent engine uptakes were fitted with 'cheese graters' that mixed machinery space vent air with the engine exhaust to reduce infrared signatures.
The Type 42 class was designed to counter long-range strategic bombers from the former Soviet Long-Range Aviation and Soviet Naval Aviation (AV-MF), and to provide area defence for a carrier battle group.
Five ships took part in the Falklands War: Sheffield, Coventry, Glasgow, Exeter and Cardiff. [18] providing long-range air defence and achieving seven confirmed "kills". Coventry was credited with three aircraft: a Puma SA.330L and two A-4 Skyhawks. [19] Exeter shot down four aircraft: two A-4 Skyhawks, a Learjet 35A and a Canberra bomber. [19] Cardiff was involved in a friendly fire incident resulting in the loss of a British Gazelle helicopter. [19]
Sheffield was hit by an Exocet air-to-surface missile launched by an Argentine Super Étendard on 4 May 1982 and sank six days later; Coventry was sunk by 3, 250 kg bombs unguided bombs on the 25 May 1982, with two detonating. [20] and Glasgow was disabled by a bomb that passed through her aft engine room without exploding, damaging fuel systems and disabling the cruising engines. These losses led to a reassessment to subsequent vessels. [19]
On February 25, 1991 during Operation Desert Storm, Gloucester shot down an Iraqi Silkworm missile targeting USS Missouri. [21]
Type 42s performed fleet contingency duties, including West Indies counter-drug operations, Falkland Islands patrols, NATO Mediterranean and Atlantic task group deployments, and Persian Gulf patrols. The increased deployment of Type 23 frigates in place of Type 42s to high-intensity operational areas reflected persistent serviceability and reliability problems, alongside growing obsolescence of their combat and machinery systems. [22]
Pennant | Name | Hull builder [23] | Ordered [23] | Laid down [23] | Launched [23] | Accepted into service [23] [24] [Note 1] | Commissioned | Estimated building cost [Note 2] |
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Royal Navy – batch 1 | ||||||||
D80 | Sheffield | Vickers Shipbuilders Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness. | 14 November 1968 | 15 January 1970 | 10 June 1971 | 16 February 1975 | 16 February 1975 [25] [Note 3] | £23,200,000 [26] |
D86 | Birmingham | Cammell Laird & Co, Birkenhead. | 21 May 1971 | 28 March 1972 | 30 July 1973 | 26 November 1976 [27] | 3 December 1976 [25] | £31,000,000 [28] |
D87 | Newcastle | Swan Hunter Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne. | 11 November 1971 | 21 February 1973 | 24 April 1975 | 25 February 1978 | 23 March 1978 [25] | £34,600,000 [24] |
D118 | Coventry | Cammell Laird & Co, Birkenhead. | 21 May 1971 | 29 January 1973 | 21 June 1974 | 20 October 1978 | 10 November 1978 [25] | £37,900,000 [24] [29] |
D88 | Glasgow | Swan Hunter Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne. | 11 November 1971 | 16 April 1974 | 14 April 1976 | 9 March 1979 | 24 May 1979 [25] | £36,900,000 [24] [29] |
D108 | Cardiff | Vickers Shipbuilders Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness (to launching stage) Swan Hunter Ltd, Hebburn (for completion). [29] | 10 June 1971 | 6 November 1972 | 22 February 1974 | 22 September 1979 | 24 September 1979 [25] | £40,500,000 [30] [Note 4] |
Royal Navy – batch 2 | ||||||||
D89 | Exeter | Swan Hunter Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne. | 22 January 1976 | 22 July 1976 | 25 April 1978 | 30 August 1980 | 19 September 1980 [25] | £60,100,000 [24] [29] |
D90 | Southampton | Vosper Thornycroft Ltd, Woolston. | 17 March 1976 | 21 October 1976 | 29 January 1979 | 17 August 1981 | 31 October 1981 [25] | £67,500,000 [24] |
D92 | Liverpool | Cammell Laird & Co, Birkenhead. | 27 May 1977 | 5 July 1978 | 25 September 1980 | 12 May 1982 | 1 July 1982 [25] | £92,800,000 [24] |
D91 | Nottingham | Vosper Thornycroft Ltd, Woolston. | 1 March 1977 | 6 February 1978 | 18 February 1980 | 22 December 1982 | 14 April 1983 [25] | £82,100,000 [24] |
Royal Navy – batch 3 | ||||||||
D95 | Manchester | Vickers Shipbuilders Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness. | 10 November 1978 | 19 May 1978 | 24 November 1980 | 19 November 1982 | 16 December 1982 [25] | £110,000,000 [24] |
D98 | York | Swan Hunter Ltd, Wallsend-on-Tyne. | 25 April 1979 | 18 January 1980 | 21 June 1982 | 25 March 1985 [31] | 9 August 1985 | £118,700,000 [31] |
D96 | Gloucester | Vosper Thornycroft Ltd, Woolston. | 27 March 1979 | 29 October 1979 | 2 November 1982 | 16 May 1985 [31] | 11 September 1985 | £120,800,000 [31] |
D97 | Edinburgh | Cammell Laird & Co, Birkenhead. | 25 April 1979 | 8 September 1980 | 13 April 1983 | 25 July 1985 [31] | 17 December 1985 | £130,600,000 [31] |
Argentine Republic Navy– batch 1 | ||||||||
D1 | Hércules | Vickers Shipbuilders Ltd, Barrow-in-Furness. | 18 May 1970 | 16 June 1971 | 24 October 1972 | 10 May 1976 [23] | 12 July 1976 [23] | |
D2 | Santísima Trinidad | AFNE, Rio Santiago, Argentina. | 18 May 1970 | 11 October 1971 | 9 November 1974 | 1 July 1981 | ||
In May 1982, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Jerry Wiggin) stated that the current replacement cost of a Type 42 destroyer of the Sheffield class was "about £120 million." [32] In July 1984, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (John Lee) stated: "the average cost of the three Type 42 destroyers currently under construction is £117 million at 1983–84 price levels." [33]
Date | Running cost | What is included | Citation |
---|---|---|---|
1981–82 | £10.0 million | Average annual running cost of Type 42s at average 1981–82 prices and including associated aircraft costs but excluding the costs of major refits. | [34] |
1985–86 | £15 million | The average cost of running and maintaining a type 42 destroyer for one year. | [35] |
1987–88 | £7 million | The average annual operating costs, at financial year 1987–88 prices of a type 42 destroyer. These costs include personnel, fuel, spares, and so on, and administrative support services, but exclude new construction, capital equipment, and refit-repair costs. | [36] |
2001–02 | £13.0 million | Type 42 destroyer, average annual operating costs, based on historic costs over each full financial year. The figures include manpower, maintenance, fuel, stores, and other costs (such as harbour dues), but exclude depreciation and cost of capital. | [37] |
2002–03 | £13.5 million | ||
Date | Running cost | What is included | Citation |
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2007–08 | £31.35 million | "The annual operating cost of the Type 42 Class of Destroyers, covering a total of eight vessels in the 07/08 period, is £250.8M." "This is based on information primarily from Financial Year 07/08 the last year for which this information is available, and includes typical day-to-day costs such as fuel and manpower and general support costs covering maintenance, repair and equipment spares. Costs for equipment spares are also included, although these are based on Financial Year 08/09 information as this is the most recent information available. Costs for weapon system support are not included as they could only be provided at disproportionate cost." | [38] |
2009–10 | £26.7 million | "The average running cost per class... Type 42 is £160.1 million. These figures, based on the expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence in 2009–10, include maintenance, safety certification, military upgrades, manpower, inventory, satellite communication, fuel costs, and depreciation.". | [39] |
In May 2000, the Minister of State for the Armed Forces (John Spellar) stated: "The running costs of each of the Royal Navy's Type 42 destroyers for each of the past five years are contained in the following table. This includes repair and maintenance, manpower, fuel, and other costs such as port and harbour dues. Year-on-year variations are largely attributable to refit periods." [40]
Ship | 1995–96 | 1996–97 | 1997–98 | 1998–99 | 1999–2000 |
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Birmingham | £32.28 million | £16.92 million | £17.38 million | £13.38 million | £10.39 million |
Newcastle | £32.60 million | £31.60 million | £18.57 million | £13.90 million | £13.73 million |
Glasgow | £14.70 million | £29.47 million | £26.36 million | £13.61 million | £12.65 million |
Cardiff | £19.86 million | £41.2 million | £28.86 million | £13.20 million | £17.87 million |
Exeter | £19.46 million | £15.72 million | £40.83 million | £12.76 million | £14.48 million |
Southampton | £16.53 million | £20.37 million | £17.91 million | £39.09 million | £18.79 million |
Nottingham | £18.70 million | £17.24 million | £19.08 million | £13.08 million | £32.74 million |
Liverpool | £16.92 million | £20.75 million | £14.59 million | £14.79 million | £14.63 million |
Manchester | £17.99 million | £19.40 million | £14.58 million | £12.22 million | £12.69 million |
Gloucester | £19.33 million | £19.40 million | £13.89 million | £21.49 million | £15.77 million |
York | £20.48 million | £19.79 million | £17.50 million | £11.78 million | £21.88 million |
Edinburgh | £35.27 million | £19.29 million | £22.50 million | £13.00 million | £12.28 million |
In February 1998, the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Reid said: "Type 42 destroyers achieved approximately 84 to 86 per cent average availability for operational service in each of the last five years. This discounts time spent in planned maintenance." [41]
Pennant | Name | Home port | Commissioned | Status | ||
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Royal Navy | ||||||
Batch 1 | ||||||
D80 | Sheffield | Portsmouth | 16 February 1975 | Sunk in Falklands War 4 May 1982 | ||
D86 | Birmingham | Portsmouth | 3 December 1976 | Decommissioned 31 December 1999 | Scrapped October 2000 | |
D88 | Glasgow | Portsmouth | 25 May 1977 | Decommissioned 1 February 2005 | Scrapped December 2008 | |
D87 | Newcastle | Portsmouth | 23 March 1978 | Decommissioned 1 February 2005 | Scrapped November 2008 | |
D118 | Coventry | Portsmouth | 20 October 1978 | Sunk in Falklands War 25 May 1982 | ||
D108 | Cardiff | Portsmouth | 24 September 1979 | Decommissioned 14 July 2005 | Scrapped November 2008 | |
Batch 2 | ||||||
D89 | Exeter | Portsmouth | 18 September 1980 | Decommissioned 27 May 2009 | Scrapped September 2011 | |
D90 | Southampton | Portsmouth | 31 October 1981 | Decommissioned 12 February 2009 [42] | Scrapped October 2011 | |
D92 | Liverpool | Portsmouth | 9 July 1982 | Decommissioned 30 March 2012 | Scrapped October 2014 | |
D91 | Nottingham | Portsmouth | 8 April 1983 | Decommissioned 11 February 2010 | Scrapped October 2011 | |
Batch 3 | ||||||
D95 | Manchester | Portsmouth | 16 December 1982 | Decommissioned 24 February 2011 | Scrapped November 2014 | |
D98 | York | Portsmouth | 9 August 1985 | Decommissioned 27 September 2012 [43] | Scrapped August 2015 | |
D96 | Gloucester | Portsmouth | 11 September 1985 | Decommissioned 30 June 2011 | Scrapped September 2015 | |
D97 | Edinburgh | Portsmouth | 17 December 1985 | Decommissioned 6 June 2013 | Scrapped August 2015 | |
Navy of the Argentine Republic | ||||||
B-52 (ex D-1) | Hércules | Puerto Belgrano | 12 July 1976 | Transformed in a multi-purpose transport ship since 2000. [44] As of 2020, reported non-operational. [45] Formally retired in 2024. [46] | ||
D-2 | Santísima Trinidad | Puerto Belgrano | 1 July 1981 | Decommissioned in 2004. Intended to become a naval museum, but sank, as a result of negligence, off Puerto Belgrano on 22 January 2013. [47] She was refloated in December 2015 and moved to a drydock to evaluate her restoration as a museum ship. [48] But due to serious damage and lack of funds, she was destined to be scrapped in 2018. [49] | Undergoing for scrapping since 2018. [49] |
The surviving Argentine Type 42, Hércules, was based at Puerto Belgrano Naval Base, Argentina, and converted into an amphibious command ship through the addition of a new aft superstructure and hangar. She was originally fitted with four single Exocet missile launchers, two on either side of the funnel facing forward but these were removed during refit. As of 2020, Hércules was reported to be non-operational. [45] The other Argentine vessel, Santísima Trinidad, capsized and sank alongside her berth at Puerto Belgrano on 22 January 2013, reportedly as a result of poor maintenance and negligence leading to a burst seawater main and catastrophic flooding. [47] She was formally taken out of service in 2024. [50]
Prior to her demise, Santísima Trinidad was extensively cannibalised for spare parts for her more active sister ship. In December 2015, she was refloated and placed in drydock to evaluate the cost of restoration as a museum ship. Finally, due to the very high cost required, it was decided to scrap her in 2016. [49]
All the Royal Navy Type 42 ships are now decommissioned. Initially, the United Kingdom sought to procure replacements through collaboration with seven other NATO nations under the NFR-90 project, and then with France and Italy via the Horizon CNGF programme. Both collaborative ventures failed, leading to the national Type 45 project. [51] Six Type 45 destroyers, Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon, Defender and Duncan, are all in commission and are considerably larger, displacing 7,500 tonnes compared to the Type 42’s 3,600 tonnes. [51]