HMS Amazon (F169)
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| Missing image HMS_Amazon_(F169).jpg HMS Amazon | |
| Career | 
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|---|---|
| Ordered: | |
| Laid down: | 6 November 1969 |
| Launched: | 26 April 1971 |
| Commissioned: | 11 May 1974 |
| Decommissioned: | 30 September 1993 |
| Fate: | Sold to Pakistan on 30 September 1993. |
| Struck: | |
| General Characteristics | |
| Displacement: | 3,250 tons full load |
| Length: | 384 ft (117 m) |
| Beam: | 41 ft 9 in (12.7 m) |
| Draught: | 19 ft 6 in (5.9 m) |
| Propulsion: | Two Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines, plus two Rolls-Royce RM1A Tyne gas turbines for cruising |
| Speed: | 32 knots (59 km/h) |
| Range: | 4,000 nautical miles at 17 knots (7,400 km at 31 km/h), 1,200 nautical miles at 30 knots (2,220 km at 56 km/h) |
| Complement: | 177 |
| Armament: | One Mk8 4.5 inch (110 mm) gun Two 20 mm Oerlikon guns |
| Aircraft: | One Westland Wasp when built, refitted later for one Westland Lynx |
| Motto: | Audaciter (Boldly) |
HMS Amazon (F169) was the first Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy. The ship suffered a fire in the Far East in 1977, drawing attention to the risk of building warships with aluminium superstructure.
Amazon was the only unit of her class to not participate in the Falklands War, as she was in the Persian Gulf at the time.
By the mid-1980s the surviving Type 21s were suffering cracking in the hull and so she was taken in for refitting, with a steel plate being welded down each side of the ship. At the same time modifications were made to reduce hull noise. Four Exocet launchers were also fitted in 'B' position, the last of the class to be so fitted.
Amazon decommissioned and was sold to Pakistan on 30 September 1993, being renamed Babur. Exocet was not transferred to Pakistan and Babur had her obsolete Sea Cat launcher removed. A Chinese LY 60N missile launcher was fitted in place of the Exocet launchers. Signaal DA08 air search radar replaced the Type 992 and SRBOC chaff launchers and 20mm and 30mm guns were fitted.
Babur remains in service with the Pakistani Navy.
See HMS Amazon for other ships of the same name.
| Type 21 frigate |
| Amazon | Antelope | Active | Ambuscade | Arrow | Alacrity | Ardent | Avenger |
| List of frigates of the Royal Navy |