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Type 22 frigates, Broadsword class
HMS Brave
The Royal Navy ordered the Type 22 frigate in 3 batches. Batch 1 was called the Broadsword class, Batch 2 Boxer class and batch 3, Cornwall class. Batch 1 ships have been retired and sold to the Brazilian navy, whilst batch 2 ships are nearly all decommissioned.
The design dates back to the 1970's when the Navy wanted a common frigate to replace all the smaller and less capable escort frigates it operated. The Type 22 was going to be a large frigate, with a large production run, some 26 ships to replace aging Leander class frigates and others. Out of the 26 that the Navy wanted, 14 were ordered.
The design called for a large anti submarine frigate, capable of operating independently to a task force, with secondary anti surface warfare and the ability to defend itself from air attacks.
To carry out the anti submarine warfare tasking, the ship is equipped with a powerful sonar and torpedo tubes, teamed with 2 Westland Lynx helicopters.
For anti surface warfare, the Type 22 batch 1 and 2 carries 4 MM38 Exocet missiles, which were used to devastating effect by the Argentine's during the war for the Falklands.
For anti air protection, the ship has 2 6 barrel launchers, for Seawolf surface to air missile. During the Falklands the Seawolf was credited with 6 confirmed kills of Argentine aircraft.
Batch 2 ships are slightly different from the batch 1. Batch 2 ships are some 14m longer, then the batch 1 ships. The extra space meant a towed array could be carried to aid in the search for submarines. Also the Boxer class ships, with their extra space have extensive command control facilities. HMS London was the NATO flagship during the Gulf in 1991.
The design was primarily an anti submarine warfare one. For this role, the designers saw no need for a main gun. The ships would be chasing Soviet submarines in the north sea, there fore these ships were the first and only Royal Navy all missile ships. This decision was bitterly regretted during the Falklands, when they could not provide NGFS (Naval Gun Fire Support) to Royal Marines and British Army units on the islands. One high ranking Royal Marines officer said that 1 Naval ship, was more effective then 6 land based artillery guns.
These ships are now being retired as part of the 1998 Strategic Defence Review, which cut the Royal Navy's escort fleet to a pathetic 32. Against the protests of many who say the Navy is struggling to find ships to meet its extensive responsibilities these ships are being paid off, on average half way through their intended life.
All batch 1 ships, were sold to Brazil. HMS Boxer, Brave and London sit in Portsmouth dockyard rusting. Although in the case of Brave and Boxer, they are in the reserve fleet. Apparently able to be re commissioned at 320 days notice! HMS Sheffield will continue to serve until about 2012, when replaced by the new class of escorts, the Future Surface Combatant. HMS Coventry is expected to decommission at the end of the year, after her last deployment.
In 1999, all Exocet missiles were removed from service in the Royal Navy. Sheffield and Coventry, which were named after lost ships in the Falklands, no longer carry the missile. It has been suggested that the launchers make excellent storage for beer instead!
HMS London, with another type 22 in the background
Click here for information about the Type 22 frigate, Cornwall class
Click here for the Type 22 frigate image gallery
Click here for information about HMS Broadsword's participation in the Falklands war
| Ship type: |
Anti Submarine Warfare Frigates(FFG) |
| Class: | Type 22 frigates, Broadsword class and Boxer class |
| Active: | 4 Batch 1, 6 Batch 2 (2 active) |
| Names: |
Batch 1: Broadsword (F88), Brilliant (F90), Brazen (F91) and Battleaxe (F89) Batch 2: Boxer (F92), Brave (F94), London (ex Bloodhound F95), Sheffield (F96) and Coventry (F98) |
| Displacement: |
Batch 1: 4,400 tons Batch 2: 4,800 |
| Length: |
Batch 1: 430ft (131m) Batch 2: 485ft (145m) |
| Beam: | 48.5ft (14.8m) |
| Speed: | 30kts |
| Range: | 4,500 miles at 18kts |
| Missiles: |
x4 MM38 Exocet anti ship missiles x2 6 barrel Seawolf GWS MOD 4surface to air launchers |
| Guns: |
2 twin 30mm DES/MSI cannons 2 20mm Oerlikon/BMARC cannons |
| Torpedoes: |
2 324mm Plessey STWS Mk2 tripple tubes for Marconi Stingray |
| Decoys: |
4 Marconi Sea Gnat 6 barrel launchers Graseby type 182 towed torpedo decoy |
| Radar's: |
Air/surface search - Marconi type 667/968 Navigation - Kelvin Hughes type 1006 or 1007 Fire control - 2 Marconi type 911 or Type 910 |
| Sonars: |
Ferranti type 2050 hull mounted active search/attack Dowty type 2031Z towed array (batch 2 only) |
| Helicopters: |
2 Westland Lynx HM8 for anti submarine warfare and anti surface warfare or 1 EH 101 Merlin for anti submarine warfare and anti surface warfare |
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