 HMSPortland, 2010 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
 United Kingdom | |
| Name | Portland |
| Operator | Royal Navy |
| Ordered | February 1996 |
| Builder | Marconi Marine,Clyde |
| Laid down | 14 January 1998 |
| Launched | 15 May 1999 |
| Sponsored by | Lady Brigstocke |
| Commissioned | 3 May 2001 |
| Refit | LIFEX 2018 - 2021 |
| Homeport | HMNB Devonport,Plymouth |
| Identification | |
| Motto |
|
| Status | In active service |
| Badge |  |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type | Type 23Frigate |
| Displacement | 4,900 t (4,800 long tons; 5,400 short tons)[1] |
| Length | 133 m (436 ft 4 in) |
| Beam | 16.1 m (52 ft 10 in) |
| Draught | 7.3 m (23 ft 11 in) |
| Propulsion |
|
| Speed | In excess of 28 kn (52 km/h; 32 mph) |
| Range | 7,500nautical miles (14,000 km) at 15 kn (28 km/h) |
| Complement | 185 (accommodation for up to 205) |
| Sensors and processing systems | Sonar 2087 |
| Electronic warfare & decoys |
|
| Armament |
|
| Aircraft carried |
|
| Aviation facilities |
|
HMSPortland is aType 23 frigate of the BritishRoyal Navy. She is theeighth ship to bear the name and is the fifteenth and penultimate ship of the 'Duke' class of frigates, and is named for the currently extinct title of theDukedom of Portland, and more particularly forthe third Duke, who was Prime Minister.
The ship was accepted into service by the Royal Navy on 15 December 2000 and was commissioned on 3 May the following year. Present at the commissioning ceremony wasPortland's sponsor Lady Brigstocke, wife of AdmiralSir John Brigstocke, a formerSecond Sea Lord; Lady Brigstocke launched the ship in 1999.[6]
During sea trialsPortland attained a top speed of 30.8 knots (57.0 km/h), the fastest speed attained by any Type 23 frigate at that time.[7]
Portland's Lynx helicopter (XZ724) was lost at sea on 8 December 2004. The aircraft had been launched following the potential sighting of a man overboard. All four crew were killed, including Lieutenant David Cole RN, the flight commander, who had embarked to augment the duty crew.[8]
Portland assisted in the search for men lost from a capsizedyacht on 3 February 2007.[9]
She was deployed to the Caribbean for seven months in 2007, intercepting 3.5 tonnes of cocaine in cooperation with aUnited States Coast GuardLaw Enforcement Detachment (LEDET) and conducting disaster relief in Belize followingHurricane Dean.[10]
In April 2008,Portland visitedLiverpool withHMS Mersey and berthed at thecruise liner terminal atPrince's Dock.[11]
In June 2009 while taking part in anti-piracy operations off theHorn of Africa,Portland intercepted ten alleged pirates but because the suspects were not caught in the immediate act of piracy, the vessel was unable legally to detain them.[12]
In late April 2010,Portland relievedHMS York on the Atlantic Patrol Task (South).[13]
.jpg)
June 2011 sawPortland conducting night Naval Gunnery practice offGibraltar in theMediterranean. Towards the end of the month she sailed toEdinburgh to take part inArmed Forces Day.[14] She was the first major warship in the Royal Navy to be commanded by a woman: CommanderSarah West assumed command of HMSPortland on 21 May 2012,[15] but was relieved of command in July 2014 following an alleged affair with one of the ship's officers.[16]
Portland spent 2012 at Rosyth in a 50-week refit that saw her upgraded withSonar 2087, new IT systems, Sea Wolf mid-life overhaul, gun replacements, galley refurbishment and accommodation improvements. She left Rosyth on 14 December 2012 for three months of sea trials.[17]
In August 2013, she was announced as the Fleet Ready Escort for the next two months.[18] She participated inExercise Joint Warrior 2013.[19]
On 2 August 2014, she completed the 7-month task of the Atlantic Patrol ship.[20]
On 20 June 2016,Portland departed Devonport for a nine-month patrol covering the Middle East and the South Atlantic Ocean.[21]Portland was the last Royal Navy ship to carry Radar 996 and was the last ship to conduct a Replenishment at Sea withRFA Gold Rover prior to the latter ship's decommissioning[22]
In 2018,Portland began a Life Extension (LIFEX) refit atBabcock's Frigate Support Centre inDevonport. Her refit included the installation of the Sea Ceptor surface-to-air missile system, 997 surveillance radar, 1084 navigational radar and the 2150 hull-mounted sonar. She returned to sea in March 2021.[23]
In 2022,Portland spent 152 days at sea.[24]
In 2023,Portland andUSSPorter were present at Halifax'sfleet week, making it the city's first international fleet week.[25][26]
From February 2024,Portland participated inSteadfast Defender 2024 as part of theUK Carrier Strike Group.[27]
Participated in Exercise Strike Warrior in the North Sea, in October 2024.[28]
In December 2024, it was reported thatPortland had become the second Royal Navy ship to be fitted withNaval Strike Missiles to serve as an anti-ship surface to surface weapon, and as an interim replacement for theHarpoon missiles, but that they can also be programmed to be used in the land attack role.[3]
 Royal Navy | |
|---|---|
 Chilean Navy |
|
| |
| |
| Aircraft carriers |
| ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Submarines |
| ||||||||
| Destroyers |
| ||||||||
| Frigates |
| ||||||||
| Amphibious warfare ships |
| ||||||||
| Mine counter measures vessels |
| ||||||||
| Patrol vessels |
| ||||||||
| Survey vessels |
| ||||||||
| Miscellaneous |
| ||||||||
