Operational History
The ship saw service in the Falklands War, deploying from the Caribbean after the loss of Sheffield. During the conflict, Exeter shot down three Argentine aircraft (two A-4C Skyhawks on 30 May, and a Learjet 35A on 7 June: all with Sea Dart missiles), and may have shot down an Exocet missile on 30 May (although this kill is claimed by another ship).
Exeter also served in Operation Granby during the 1991 Gulf War, under the command of Captain Nigel Essenhigh. Among her roles was the air defence of the US battleships bombarding enemy positions.
She attended the 25th anniversary commemorations of the Falklands War at Newquay, Cornwall in 2007, as the last remaining Royal Navy ship in commission to have served in the Falklands.
On 30 July 2008, she was placed in a state of 'extended readiness' at HMNB Portsmouth, until being decommissioned there on 27 May 2009. In early 2010, Exeter was in use as a training hulk to assist with the training of new naval base tugs. She was put up for sale by auction on 28 March 2011 and finally towed away to be scrapped at Leyal Ship Recycling in Turkey on 23 September 2011, provoking some criticism from former crew members who were upset that the Ministry of Defence had apparently failed to inform them of the ship's fate.
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