Frigate Gallery

HMS Sutherland monitors Russian warship as it sails through UK waters

Pictured is HMS Sutherland, seen here in the foreground, escorting the Russian
Yaroslav Mudry, seen in the background.
The Yaroslav Mudry is a Neustrashimy-class frigate.
The class was designed as a general purposeanti-submarine warfare (ASW)frigate to follow on from theKrivak-classfrigates. This new class of frigates incorporates somestealth technology.
HMS Sutherland is a Duke Class Type 23 Frigate.
Based in Portsmouth and Devonport, the ships were designed to deal with the Soviet submarine threat but in the 20 years since the fall of Communism, the frigates have proven their versatility by dealing with virtually every mission imaginable in the four corners of the globe.
The 13 Type 23, or Duke-class, frigates are the core of the front-line Fleet. They can be typically be found east of Suez, safeguarding Britain's vital maritime trade routes or Britain's interests in the South Atlantic

Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Kent

Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Kent.
Built by BAe Systems (formerly Yarrow Shipbuilders) at Scotstoun on the River Clyde, the current HMS Kent is the twelfth ship to bear the name. Launched in May 1998 by her Sponsor, HRH Princess Alexandra, the Ship's Company is very proud of her distinguished history within the Royal Navy.
The first HMS Kent was commissioned in 1650, and since then there have only been 60 years cumulatively where there has not been an HMS Kent in the Navy. An impressive 16 Battle Honors earned by her predecessors, mean that the Ship is able to live up to her motto Invicta, the Latin for Unconquerable, which has almost as much history as the Ship herself.
In 1066 when William the Conquerer was consolidating his newly-gained power in England, he marched south towards Kent from London. To repel the invading Normans, the men of Kent used the Old Oak wood in their trees to create the noise in the forests of a much larger army than there actually was, fooling the invading forces into creating a treaty which allowed the King of Kent to retain certain privileges and traditions.
HMS Kent still honours this link when sailing into ports in Kent, by flying a bow of holme oak from the yardarm

HMS Somerset strengthens her links with London

The Royal Navy Type 23 Frigate HMS Somerset arrived in the Pool of London on Wednesday 15th March to berth alongside HMS Belfast for a four-day visit. Commissioned in 1996, this will be the first time HMS Somerset has visited the capital.
Although the frigate maintains strong ties with the Duchy of Cornwall and Somerset county, she is also affiliated with a Livery Company of the City of London, the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, and her visit was intended to strengthen this link. Joining HMS Somerset on her passage up the Thames was the Master of the Apothecaries, Professor Brian Livesley. During the visit, members of the ship's company were welcomed to a special luncheon at Apothecaries Hall and to return their hospitality, HMS Somerset hosted the Society at a dinner onboard.
HMS Somerset also provided the venue for a luncheon hosted by the new First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Jonathon Band, who took up his post in February. While onboard Admiral Band took the opportunity to present long service medals to four members of the ship's company with a total of 75 years service between them.
Visiting HMS Somerset from much further afield was another affiliation, the Massachusetts-based historical group The Ship's Company of HMS Somerset 1778. This society recreates sailors from the last HMS Somerset to serve in the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence. They got to know their modern day counter-parts on HMS Somerset and caught up on their historical roots at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich

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