HMS Ariadne (F72)

HMS ''Ariadne'' was a ''Leander''-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was launched in 1971, was sold to Chile in 1992 and sunk as a target hulk in 2004.

Construction

''Ariadne'' was one of two ''Leander''-class frigates ordered from Yarrow Shipbuilders as part of the 1967–68 construction programme for the Royal Navy, the last two ships of the class with the order announced on 29 July 1968. ''Ariadne'' was laid down at Yarrow's Scotstoun shipyard on 1 November 1969, and was launched on 10 September 1971 and completed on 10 February 1973, commissioning on 2 March 1973 at Devonport. She was the last of the ''Leander'' class to be completed. Like the rest of the ''Leander'' class, she was named after a figure of Greek mythology; Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos of Crete. She was the eighth ship of that name to serve with the Royal Navy.

''Ariadne'' was a Batch 3, "Broad-Beamed" ''Leander'', and as such was long overall and at the waterline, with a beam of and a maximum draught of . Displacement was standard and full load. Two oil-fired boilers fed steam at and to a pair of double reduction geared steam turbines that in turn drove two propeller shafts, with the machinery rated at , giving a speed of . She had a range of at or at top speed.

A twin 4.5-inch (113 mm) Mark 6 gun mount was fitted forward. A single Sea Cat surface-to-air missile launcher was fitted aft (on the Helicopter hangar roof), while two Oerlikon 20mm cannon provided close-in defence. A Limbo anti-submarine mortar was fitted aft to provide a short-range anti-submarine capability, while a hangar and helicopter deck allowed a single Westland Wasp helicopter to be operated, for longer range anti-submarine and anti-surface operations. ''Ariadne'' was fitted with a large Type 965 long range air search radar on the ship's mainmast, with a Type 993 short range air/surface target indicating radar and Type 978 navigation radar carried on the ship's foremast. An MRS3 fire control system was carried to direct the 4.5-inch guns. The ship had a sonar suite of Type 184 medium range search sonar, Type 162 bottom search and Type 170 attack sonar, together with a Type 199 variable depth sonar (VDS). She had a crew of 260 officers and other ranks.

Royal Navy

In the year of her commission, ''Ariadne'' undertook a fishery protection patrol during the Second Cod War with Iceland.

From January to October 1974, ''Ariadne'' in company with the guided missile destroyer (FOF2 embarked), , , , and supported by oilers and and the stores ship , made a nine-month deployment to the Far East, visiting Singapore, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Mauritius, South Africa and Gibraltar. ''Ariadne'' participated in the Beira Patrol. She also refuelled from an old oiler permanently moored at Gan in the Indian Ocean. Between 1975 and 1976 she was commanded by Captain Benjamin Bathurst.

In 1976, ''Ariadne'' completed a refit at Devonport, and the following year took part in the annual group deployment, visiting a variety of ports in South America and West Africa, as well as performing naval exercises.

In 1977, ''Galatea'' also took part in the Fleet Review, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. ''Ariadne'' was part of the 7th Frigate Squadron. Following the Silver Jubilee Review, ''Ariadne'' was appointed guardship at Belize. From May to August 1979, ''Ariadne'' served as part of Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT), a NATO multi-national squadron.

''Ariadne'' was intended for modernisation, which would have included the removal of her one 4.5-in Mk.6 gun, which would have been replaced by the Exocet anti-ship missile, as well as the addition of the Sea Wolf missile, but the 1981 Defence Review by the defence minister John Nott, cancelled the modernisation for ''Ariadne'' and other Batch III ''Leander''-class frigates. In 1981 ''Ariadne'' became the West Indies Guard Ship and, while there, performed a variety of duties in that region.

In 1983 she shadowed the Soviet cruiser ''Slava''. It was a common practice during the Cold War, with Soviet warships quite often shadowing Royal Navy vessels in return. In 1987 ''Ariadne'' joined the 6th Frigate Squadron.

''Ariadne'' came out of refit in Rosyth Dockyard, Fife, Scotland in 1989 and replaced in the Dartmouth Training Squadron.

In 1990, in consort with HM ships and , she took part in ''Endeavour '90'', a six-month circumnavigation of the globe. During this deployment she travelled 32,000 miles. Between 1988 and 1990 she was commanded by Commander Adrian Johns.

''Ariadne'' was formally adopted by Scunthorpe Borough Council on 8 March 1973. The ship's anchor is still located outside the now North Lincolnshire Council's main administrative Civic Centre, and the ship's bell is situated outside the council chamber inside the Civic Centre.

Chilean Navy

''Ariadne'' was finally decommissioned by the Royal Navy in May 1992 and was subsequently sold to Chile, being renamed ''General Baquedano''. She was decommissioned from the Chilean Navy in December 1998 and sunk as target in 2004.

References

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Ariadne (F72)
Leander-class frigates
1971 ships
Leander-class frigates of the Chilean Navy
Ships sunk as targets