Rothesay Class Frigate - Service

Service

The Rothesays served throughout the 1960s and 1970s, with Londonderry converted into a weapons and electronics trials vessel in 1975.The successful performance of the Rothesays, and the ability they showed for sustained operation in rough North Atlantic sea conditions during the 1976 Cod War, combined with the intensification of the Cold War and a more generous naval budget in the late 1970's by the new Prime Minister the former RN Clerk James Callaghan led to a provisional decision to retain the Rothesays through the 1980's with a second long refit. HMS Plymouth, HMS Yarmouth, and HMS Rothesay were given full 2-year refits in 1978-81 with some significant updates of radar. At the beginning of 1982 many of the class had been relegated to the Standby Squadron, likely to be disposed of following the 1981 defence review, with their sister ships likely to follow suit. However, the outbreak of the Falklands War reprieved the class, and Plymouth and Yarmouth were despatched with the task force, with Plymouth in particular playing one of the most active roles of any ship. In addition the rest of the class were refitted for service, allowing the losses and damages suffered by the Royal Navy during the conflict to be rapidly made good. HMS Berwick and HMS Falmouth had been retained in a state of high readiness in the standby squadron, in the expectation they would be given a furthur long refit, possibly as Towed Array frigates, their sister HMS Lowestoft had been essentially tested in this role. Berwick in particular still proved useful after its short refit, giving another 3 years operational service, till mid 1985. The class paid off throughout the 1980s, with Rothesay finally paying off in 1988. The demise of the class also saw the withdrawal of the Wasp helicopter, the Leanders having been upgraded to carry the Westland Lynx.