- Blackwood class frigate
The Type 14, "Blackwood", class were a twelve
ship class of "second rate"anti-submarine warfare (A/S) frigates of theRoyal Navy , designed and built during the increasing threat from theSoviet Union 's large fleet of submarines that roamed theAtlantic Ocean .Design
They were designed to be cheaper and smaller to complement the expensive
Type 12 frigate s and had light armament. The class were very specialised for the A/S role and thus had little capability in any other role, though they did perform fishery protection duties during theCod Wars . One of the ships, HMS "Exmouth", was later converted togas turbine s in 1966, becoming the first major warship of the Royal Navy to be so powered.After experience with these frigates, the admiralty decided to ensure that quality was the top priority of all ships, even though it meant having a smaller fleet.
In the late 1950s, during their time on patrols around
Iceland to ensure that Iceland did not interfere with British fishermen's attempts to fish, problems were found with the hulls of the Type 14s in such heavy waters, such that their hulls had to be strengthened to cope with these patrols. However, they proved to be good seaboats throughout the dispute, which continued into the mid-1970s.ervice
The Type 14s' limited size, at just 310 ft (94 m), restricted them from continuing past the 1970s and continuing the work as anti-submarine ships. Their small hull limited the extent of modifications and upgrades possible, preventing the Type 14s from being modernised with more effective weapons, effectively rendering them obsolete. All were decommissioned in the 1970s.
hips
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy ships were all named after British admirals.
columns |bgcol=white |width=10.5em |g
col1 =
* "Blackwood"
* "Duncan"
* "Dundas"
* "Exmouth"
col2 =
* "Grafton"
* "Hardy"
* "Keppel"
* "Malcolm"
col3 =
* "Murray"
* "Palliser"
* "Pellew"
* "Russell"Indian Navy
Three ships were built for the
Indian Navy in the late 1950s* INS "Khukri," sunk by the Pakistani submarine
PNS Hangor on8 December 1971 during theIndo-Pakistani War of 1971
* INS "Kirpan"
* INS "Kuthar"Notes
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