HMS Edinburgh (D97)

HMS "Edinburgh" (D97) is a Type 42 (Batch 3) destroyer of the Royal Navy. "Edinburgh" was built by Cammell Laird of Birkenhead. She was launched on 14 April 1983 and commissioned on the 17 December 1985. The largest of the Type 42 destroyers, HMS "Edinburgh" is known as the "Fortress of the Sea".

Operations

In 1990, "Edinburgh" completed a refit, which included the fitting of the Phalanx Close-in weapon system (CIWS). In 1994, "Edinburgh" was present at a Fleet Review to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the D-Day landings in 1944. In 1998, "Edinburgh" deployed to the South Atlantic, where she patrolled the waters around the Falkland Islands, as-well as making 'fly-the-flag' visits to various South American ports.

On the 27 September 2002, "Edinburgh" sailed into the River Mersey to escort the yachts at the end of the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. [citeweb|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/liverpool/features/2003/09/clipper/index.shtml|title=Clipper returns|work=BBC Liverpool|accessdate=2008-02-08]

In January 2003, "Edinburgh" deployed to the Persian Gulf and subsequently took part in the Second Gulf War against the dictator Saddam Hussein. While there, "Edinburgh" performed a variety of tasks, which included supporting the Royal Marines ashore, as-well as being escort to the helicopter carrier "Ocean". She returned to Portsmouth, where she is based, in May.

In April 2004, "Edinburgh" deployed to the Mediterranean, where she first joined Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED), and while there, "Edinburgh" will take part in Operation Active Endeavour, designed to monitor sea lanes as part of the War on Terror.

. The time in the Baltic included visits to Sweden, Germany and Estonia.

"Edinburgh" was deployed to the Middle and Far East from February until late July 2008 as part of Orion 2008, including a visit to Singapore and operations in the Gulf, during which she took part in an interception of a drugs cargo.

Distinctive appearance

"Edinburgh" can readily be distinguished by her distinctively different forecastle. When it was decided to fit Phalanx CIWS to the class, it was intended that "Edinburgh" should carry a single unit, mounted forward between the 4.5" gun and the Sea Dart launcher. To this end, her breakwaters were enlarged and she was fitted with a raised bulwark, very like those carried on the Type 22 class.

This proved to be an unsuitably wet location for the CIWS despite these modifications, and "Edinburgh" was later fitted with a pair of wing-mounted CIWS as carried by the other ships of the class, but she retains her distinctive bulwark and enlarged breakwaters.

"Edinburgh" also differs from some ships of the class in carrying her badges flush to the funnel sides rather than on the funnel wing platforms. Her flight deck code letters are EB and her call sign is GBBE.

Affiliations

*The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland
*No. 8 Squadron RAF

References

External links

* [http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.1631 Royal Navy: HMS "Edinburgh"]