HMS Dido (F104) - Decommissioning and Fate

Decommissioning and Fate

Around 1986 extensive plans were drawn up for a major refit of HMNZS Southland which would have allowed its Ikara capability to remain operational until the mid 1990s. The RN had significantly modernised one of its remaining Ikara Leanders, Arethusa at the time with long range 2031 towed array capable of passive detection in the 160km + range zone and the RAN planned to continue with its similar but incompatible Ikara system for awhile. However quotes for refitting the Southland in UK yards or at Lyttleton proved high, the Cold War effectively ended in 1989 and with the RN and USN withdrawing its stock of nuclear depth charges, ( the intended warhead option for RN Ikara Leanders to attack Soviet submarines 10-20km range, where two directional sound transmission times were probably two great for accurate proximity direction of Ikara carrying MK 46 torpedoes) meant Ikara was no longer useful to the RN) meant the Ikara system was withdrawn from RNZN use in 1989 with space found for a low cost refit at the RNZN dockyard for it to continue as a GP frigate till 1993. Decommissioned in 1995, HMNZS Southland was towed away by two patrol craft to the Philippines where her boilers were removed for a rubber plantation. Then towed to Singapore where she was sold to an Indian tug company who towed her to Goa beach in India. She was pulled up on the beach and her parts were sold.