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Type 22 frigates, Cornwall class
HMS Chatnam
The Batch 3 ships, were built with experience from the Falklands war. The Navy needed a multipurpose heavy frigate, capable of carrying out any tasking, independently or as part of a task force. During the war, it was found that the existing Type 22 ships the Broadsword and Boxer class, didn't have sufficient close range guns and couldn't provide NGFS (Naval Gun Fire Support). The latter was sorely missed by the British troops on the islands. And the former meant that ships were being sunk by the Argentine Air Force.
So the Navy changed the design. The Batch 3 hull of the Broadsword class, is identical to the Batch 2 ships, the Boxer class. Except the Cornwall class has a lot more firepower.
The MM38 Exocets, that were on the bow, were deleted from the design, in favor for the longer ranged Harpoon anti ship missiles. Instead of having only 4 MM38's, the Cornwall class carry 8 Harpoons. Moving the Harpoons just before the mainmast, made the bow available for the 4.5" (114mm) main gun.
To give a last ditch protection, when all other weapon systems have failed against in the incoming airborne target, the Goalkeeper defence system was installed. The Goalkeeper, is of Dutch design and provides last ditch defence, via a 7 barrel mini gun. The gun is capable of firing up to 700 rounds per second, out to a range of about 3km. The gun is highly effective against missiles and planes, due to the sheer amount of lead it pumps out. The gun literally puts a wall of bullets upto the incoming missile. In addition to gun based air defence systems, the Seawolf surface to air missile is installed - in the form of two rotating barrels, with 6 ready loaded rounds in. The Seawolf is a highly effective weapon. Providing close in defence against planes and missiles for the host ship and other ships in close proximity.
These are highly effective ship, probably the heavest frigate design in the Royal Navy and a match for any other ship afloat.
HMS Cumberland, with the USS John C Stennis in the background
Click here for information about the Type 22 frigate, Broadsword class
Click here for the Type 22 frigate image gallery
| Ship type: |
Multi Purpose Frigates(FFG) |
| Class: | Type 22 batch 3 frigates, Cornwall class |
| Active: | 4 |
| Names: |
Cornwall (F99), Cumberland (F85), Cambeltown (F86) and Chatnam (F87) |
| Displacement: |
5,200 tons |
| Length: |
485ft (148.1m) |
| Beam: | 48.5ft (14.8m) |
| Speed: | 30kts |
| Range: | 4,500 miles at 18kts |
| Missiles: |
x2 Quad launchers for Harpoon anti ship missiles x2 6 barrel Seawolf GWS MOD 4 surface to air missile launchers |
| Guns: |
1 4.5" (114mm) Vickers MK8 gun 1 30mm Signaal/General Electric 7 barrel Goalkeeper 2 twin 30mm DES/MSI cannons |
| Torpedoes: |
2 324mm Plessey STWS Mk2 tripple tubes for Marconi Stingray |
| Decoys: |
4 Marconi Sea Gnat 6 barrel launchers Graseby type 182 towed torpedo decoy |
| Radar's: |
Air/surface search - Marconi type 667/968 Navigation - Kelvin Hughes type 1006 or 1007 Fire control - 2 Marconi type 911 or Type 910 |
| Sonars: |
Ferranti type 2050 hull mounted active search/attack Dowty type 2031Z towed array (batch 2 only) |
| Helicopters: |
2 Westland Lynx HM8 for anti submarine warfare and anti surface warfare or 1 EH 101 Merlin for anti submarine warfare and anti surface warfare |
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