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FIGHTING SHIPS OF THE WORLD
UNITED KINGDOM
ESCORTS
MERMAID frigate (1973)


Ships


Name No Yard No Builder Laid down Launched Comp Fate
Mermaid F76 2284 Yarrow SB, Scotstoun 1965 29.12.1966 16.5.1973 to Malaysia 5.1977 (Hang Tuah)


Technical data


Displacement standard, t

2300

Displacement full, t

2520

Length, m

97.5 pp 103.4 oa

Breadth, m

12.2

Draught, m

3.70 hull 4.90 screws

No of shafts

2

Machinery

8 ASR1 diesels

Power, h. p.

14400

Max speed, kts

24

Fuel, t

diesel oil 230

Endurance, nm(kts)

4800(15)

Armament

1 x 2 - 102/45 Mk 19, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 9, 1 x 3 - 305 Limbo Mk 10 ASWRL, helicopter deck

Electronic equipment

AWS-1, type 978 radars, STD Mk 1 e/o system, type 174, type 170B sonars

Complement

235



Standard scale images


<i>Mermaid </i>1975
Mermaid 1975


Project history

Ordered by Ghana to serve as flagship and presidential yacht for President Nkrumah, but cancelled when a coup toppled him from power. She was launched without being named and completed fitting out in 1968, but without armament. Negotiations to sell her abroad failed and after being laid up at Scotstoun she was bought by the RN in April 1972 for conversion to a training ship; refitting started at Chatham in October that year.

The design was based on the Type 41 or Leopard class, but without the raised forecastle and with a flush forecastle deck and a funnel.

Modernizations

None.

Naval service

Although successful in RN service, she was an odd number in the inventory and was sold to Malaysia in May 1977 as Hang Tuah, replacing the previous ship of that name.

Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.