 NNSAradu in Lagos (2011) | |
| History | |
|---|---|
.svg)  Nigeria | |
| Name | Aradu |
| Builder | Blohm & Voss,Hamburg,West Germany |
| Laid down | 1 December 1978 |
| Launched | 25 January 1980 |
| Commissioned | 20 February 1982 |
| Identification | Pennant number: F89 |
| Status | Out of service |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type | MEKO 360H1frigate |
| Displacement | 3,360 long tons (3,414 t) full load |
| Length | 125.6 m (412 ft 1 in)oa |
| Beam | 15 m (49 ft 3 in) |
| Draught | 5.8 m (19 ft 0 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | 30.5knots (56.5 km/h) |
| Range | 6,500 nmi (12,000 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h) |
| Complement | 195 (26 officers) |
| Sensors & processing systems |
|
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried | 1 ×Lynx Mk.89 |
NNSAradu (F89) (meaning "thunder" inHausa) is a Nigerian Navyfrigate. She is the first of theMEKO 360 general purpose frigates built by the German company,Blohm + Voss. The 125.6-metre (412 ft 1 in) ship is the largest in theNigerian Navy. As a general purpose frigate,Aradu has capabilities foranti-air, anti-surface andanti-submarine warfare effectively, and participated in the200th anniversary celebrations of the Battle of Trafalgar. The ship also possesses capability fornaval fire support andelectronic warfare. Additionally, she carries a ship-borne helicopter for anti-submarine warfare,search and rescue, and enhanced surveillance/detection.
The first of theMEKO 360 typefrigates,Aradu was constructed using modular prefabrication and containerised weapons and sensors. The first frigate to be built in this manner, this allowed for speedier construction time. The ship measures 119.0 metres (390 ft 5 in) at thewaterline and 125.9 metres (413 ft 1 in)overall with abeam of 15.0 metres (49 ft 3 in) and adraught of 5.8 metres (19 ft 0 in). The frigate'sfull load displacement is 3,360 long tons (3,414 t).[a] The ship is powered by aCODOG system made up of twoRolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines rated at 50,000shaft horsepower (37,000 kW) giving the ship a maximum speed of 30.5knots (56.5 km/h; 35.1 mph) during use and two MTU Type V 956 TH92diesel engines rated at 10,420brake horsepower (7,770 kW) with a maximum speed of 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) under use. The engines turn two Kamewacontrollable pitch propellers and the vessel carries 440 long tons (447 t) of fuel. This gives the frigate a range of 6,500nautical miles (12,000 km; 7,500 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph), with an endurance of 90 days.[1][2]
The ship is armed with eightOtomat Mk 1ship-to-ship missiles carried amidships with four situated behind themast and forward the twinfunnels and two each amidships on each side of the ship. The vessel is also armed with twenty-fourAspidesurface-to-air missiles in an octuple launcher mounted atop thehangar.Aradu is armed with one 5 in (127 mm)OTO MelaraOtobreda 127/54 Compact gun mounted forward and four twin-mountedBofors 40 mm guns situated forward behind the 5-inch gun and to either side of the hangar.Aradu also has six STWS-13 324 mm (13 in)torpedo tubes in two triple mounts located amidships on either side of the ship and onedepth charge rack.[1][2]
Aradu is equipped with Plessey AWS 5 air/surface searchradar, Racal Decca 1226 navigation radar, SignaalSTIR and WM 25 fire control radar and Atlas Elektronik hull-mountedsonar.[1] The ship originally mounted PHS 32 sonar, but this was later replaced.[3] The frigate mounts two chaff dispensers and Decca RDL-2electronic support measures. The ship has a hangar andflight deck capable of operation two helicopters of theWestland Lynx Mk.89 type, but usually only carries one. The vessel has a complement of 195, including 26 officers.[1][2][b]
The need to have a modern sophisticated frigate to complement and eventually replace the Nigerian Navy's long serving frigate,NNS Obuma became apparent to naval planners in the mid-1970s. NNSNigeria was fast becoming irrelevant in the fast changing world of naval technology. The Nigerian Navy needed to reach blue waters with the appropriate ships in terms of firepower, extended operational range and enhanced surveillance capability.[citation needed] The MEKO 360 frigate became the answer to these aspirations. The ship initially namedRepublic was ordered on 3 November 1977 fromBlohm + Voss.[3] Herkeel waslaid down atHamburg,West Germany on 1 December 1978 and she waslaunched on 25 January 1980.[1][3][c] On 1 November of the same year, following a new policy of the Nigerian Navy, the frigate was renamedAradu meaning "thunder". The ship was deemed completed on 4 September 1981.[2]Aradu sailed from its shipyard and arrivedLagos on 21 December 1981 and wascommissioned on 22 February 1982.[1][3]
Since she entered naval service, NNSAradu has taken part in majornaval exercises,fleet reviews and diplomatic cruises. She played a prominent part in "Operation Seadog" in 1985 and "Operation Odion" in 1987.[citation needed] In 1987,Araduran aground twice and was involved in a major collision.[1] The frigate underwent a significant refit in 1991 at Wilmont Point, Lagos with Blohm + Voss aid, lasting until 1994.[4] The ship has undertaken extensive diplomatic visits to countries like Gabon, Congo, Zaire, Equatorial Guinea and numerous European countries. She has also participated in joint exercises with visiting ships of the German, Indian, French and the Brazilian navies.Aradu ran aground again early in 1994 during post refit trials, and was assessed as beyond economical repair in 1995, but then managed to go to sea again in early 1996, and again in 1997 when she broke down for several months inMonrovia, Liberia. She then steamed back to Lagos on one engine in 1998.[4]
Aradu was refitted, refurbished and equipped after being alongshore for over twelve years. The ship proved it was still seaworthy by taking part in celebrations commemorating the200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar by sailing to Great Britain in August 2005 to join 100 warships from 36 navies.[5][6] The frigate also participated in two major exercises in 2005 and 2006, called "Igbochi" and "Idabo".
During theSecond Liberian Civil War,Aradu patrolled Liberian waters, showing the flag. In a bid to strengthen Nigeria/Brazil military cooperation, two naval ships,Aradu andNwamba, departed Nigeria on 3 August 2007 to take part in Brazil BiCentenary Celebrations. The ships arrived in Monrovia, Liberia, on 9 August. They were received by the Chief of Defense Staff of Liberia, Major General Abdurahman of the Nigerian Army. From there, they sailed toRecife before enteringRio de Janeiro for the celebrations.[7]
By 2017, the condition ofAradu was reported as "deplorable" and the Nigerian Navy stated that over 250 million dollars were required to make the ship seaworthy. As the Nigerian Navy did not have the funds to make such an investment,Aradu remains dockside.[8]
In late 2019, photographs ofAradu surfaced online which showed the frigate was undergoing a refit at the Naval Dockyard limited in Victoria Island, Lagos. In the photographs, metal sheets were being welded on the lower part of the ship'shull. Also, according to an article published byMilitary Africa on 6 February 2020,Aradu was to be made operational before the end of 2020.[9] Furthermore, the report also suggests thatAradu would not be fully refitted for combat operations due to the age and obsolescence of its weapons, fire control and navigational systems, but would undertake a new mission as a combat training ship for Nigeria's new general-purpose frigate valued at $350 million, expected to be delivered in the coming years.[10][11]
In April 2021, Nigerian Navy announced plan to acquire new frigate to replaceAradu and to serve as the new flagship of the navy.[12]
