HMS Northumberland (F238) facts for kids
HMS Northumberland, 2012
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Quick facts for kids History |
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 United Kingdom |
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| Name | HMS Northumberland |
| Operator | Royal Navy |
| Ordered | December 1989 |
| Builder | Swan Hunter, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom |
| Laid down | 4 April 1991 |
| Launched | 4 April 1992 |
| Sponsored by | Lady Anne Kerr |
| Commissioned | 29 September 1994 |
| Refit | LIFEX 2016–2018 |
| Homeport | HMNB Devonport, Plymouth |
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| Status | in active service |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type 23 frigate |
| Displacement | 4,900 t (4,800 long tons; 5,400 short tons) |
| Length | 133 m (436 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 16.1 m (52 ft 10 in) |
| Draught | 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) |
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| Speed | In excess of 28 kn (52 km/h; 32 mph) |
| Range | 7,500 nautical miles (14,000 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h) |
| Complement | 185 (accommodation for up to 205) |
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HMS Northumberland is a powerful warship in the Royal Navy. She is a Type 23 frigate, which means she is designed for many different tasks, especially hunting submarines. The ship is named after the Duke of Northumberland and is the eighth Royal Navy ship to carry this name. She is based at HMNB Devonport in Plymouth.
Contents
The Ship's Journey: Service History
Building a Warship: Construction
Northumberland is one of four Type 23 frigates built by Swan Hunter. This shipyard is located on the River Tyne in Wallsend. The ship was launched, meaning put into the water for the first time, in April 1992. Lady Kerr, the wife of a senior naval officer, officially launched her. Northumberland joined the Royal Navy in May 1994.
Early Years: 1994–2000
After being tested at sea, Northumberland was sent to the Falkland Islands. On her way, she had to help rescue fishermen from a trawler in very rough seas. During this rescue, the ship was damaged by hitting large waves at high speed. This caused a part of her bow (front) to leak.
After dropping off the rescued fishermen in Tenerife, the ship continued to the Falklands. She then went to South Georgia to protect fishing areas. Once this was done, Northumberland sailed to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil. There, she entered a special dry dock to fix the damage to her bow. The repairs took three weeks and cost a lot of money.
Upgrades and Missions: 2001–2010
From 2004 to 2005, Northumberland had a major upgrade at Babcock's shipyard in Rosyth Dockyard. This was her first big refit since she was built. During this time, she received new weapons and sensors. For example, her main gun was improved, and she got a new sonar system to find submarines.
Her engines and other mechanical parts were also updated. The crew's living areas were made better, and a new kitchen was installed. The flight deck, where helicopters land, was repaired. A new system was added to safely move the large Merlin helicopter in and out of the hangar. The Type 23 frigates, like Northumberland, are now known as excellent anti-submarine ships.
After her refit, Northumberland took part in the Trafalgar 200 celebrations in 2005. In 2006, she helped a submarine called HMS Torbay during its tests in the Bahamas. In 2007, she joined NATO forces in the Mediterranean Sea.
In 2008, Northumberland was the first Royal Navy warship to join Operation Atalanta. This was a European Union mission to fight piracy in the Indian Ocean. She patrolled the Gulf of Aden and escorted ships carrying food aid to Somalia. This mission was even shown on a TV show called Ross Kemp in Search of Pirates. She returned to the Indian Ocean in 2010 for another eight-month anti-piracy patrol.
Modernization and Events: 2011–2020
In early 2011, Northumberland went through another big refit. She received important technology upgrades. Her Sea Wolf missile system was improved, making it better at hitting targets. The ship's computer systems were also updated, which made her more effective in battle. Her older 30mm cannons were replaced with new, remote-controlled guns. These new guns can be aimed using cameras and other sensors.
After these upgrades, Northumberland completed her sea trials in 2011 and training in 2012. She took part in Exercise Joint Warrior in 2013, a large military exercise. In 2014, she joined the COUGAR 14 group for exercises in the Mediterranean and Gulf regions. She visited many countries, including Gibraltar, Bahrain, India, and Oman.
In May 2015, Northumberland visited St Peter Port to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Guernsey's liberation. A month later, she was at Cowes for the 200th anniversary of the Royal Yacht Squadron. Important guests, including the Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, visited the ship.
In June 2015, Northumberland played a special role in the Waterloo 200 celebrations. She carried a special letter, called the New Waterloo Dispatch, across the English Channel. This re-enacted how the news of the Battle of Waterloo victory reached England in 1815.
In 2016, Northumberland hosted the semi-final of the BBC show Masterchef. As part of her next refit, she was upgraded with Sea Ceptor missiles. These are advanced surface-to-air missiles. She returned to sea in 2018.
In late 2020, while a TV crew was filming on board, a Russian submarine hit Northumberland's towed sonar in the North Atlantic. The sonar is a long cable that helps the ship find submarines. This incident meant the frigate had to stop its mission and return to port for repairs. The event was filmed and later shown on television.
In December 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Northumberland returned to Devonport. Some crew members were suspected of having COVID-19. The ship came back so the crew could isolate safely. The Royal Navy said the ship would still be ready for its duties over Christmas.
Recent Activities: Since 2021
In June 2021, Northumberland helped provide security for the 2021 G7 Summit off the coast of Cornwall. This was a meeting of leaders from the world's biggest economies. In 2022, Northumberland spent 191 days at sea, showing how active she is.
Ship's Connections: Affiliations
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Northumberland has many special connections with different groups and places. These are called affiliations. They include:
- Northumberland County Council
- The Light Dragoons (an army regiment)
- The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers (another army regiment)
- The Bank of England's North Eastern Regional Agency
- Hexham Abbey (a historic church)
- RAF Boulmer (a Royal Air Force base)
- The RNLI Tynemouth Lifeboat, named Spirit of North-cumberland
- The Morpeth Pipe Band, whose pipers often play music when the ship leaves or returns to Devonport.
- Several schools, including Dame Alice Harpur School, Bedford High School, Bedford School, and Solihull School CCF.
To honor these connections, the ship often visits Tyneside, like in June 2015 for Armed Forces Day. She also sometimes visits London, such as in April 2007. During that visit, she was open to the public and showed how the Royal Navy helps fight modern slavery. She has also visited Baltimore in the USA and Marmaris in Turkey. In 2001, she attended a Fleet Review in Sydney, Australia.
