HMS Intrepid (L11)

History
United Kingdom
NameIntrepid
Ordered1 May 1962[1]
BuilderJohn Brown & Company
Laid down19 December 1962[1]
Launched25 June 1964[1]
Commissioned11 March 1967[1]
Decommissioned31 August 1999
Identification
Motto
  • "Cela va sans dire"
  • ("That goes without saying")
FateTowed to Liverpool for scrapping September 2008
General characteristics [1]
Class and typeFearless-class landing platform dock
Displacement
  • 11,060 long tons (11,237 t) standard
  • 12,120 long tons (12,314 t) full load
  • 16,950 long tons (17,222 t) ballasted and dock flooded
Length
  • 520 ft (158.5 m) oa
  • 500 ft (152.4 m) wl
Beam80 ft (24.4 m)
Draught20 ft 6 in (6.25 m)
Propulsion
Speed21 kn (39 km/h; 24 mph)
Range5,000 nmi (9,260 km; 5,750 mi) at 20 kn (37 km/h; 23 mph)[2]
Boats & landing
craft carried
  • LCM (9) landing craft in dock
  • 4× LCVP landing craft on davits
Capacity
  • Normal capacity 380–400 troops, up to 700 troops for short periods[2]
  • 15 tanks
  • 27 vehicles
Complement550 including small Royal Marines detachment (approx 88) and 2 Army Troops (Until 1973)[2]
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Type 974 search radar
  • Type 978 Navigation radar[2]
Armament
Aircraft carriedUp to 5 Westland Wessex helicopters.

HMS Intrepid (L11) was one of two Fearless-class amphibious warfare ships of the Royal Navy. A landing platform dock (LPD), she served from 1967 until 1999. Based in HM Naval Base, Devonport, Plymouth, Devon and HM Naval Base Portsmouth, she saw service around the world over her 32-year life.

At one point slated for decommissioning under terms of the 1981 Defence White Paper, she was rapidly returned to service to sail as part of the British operation to retake the Falkland Islands after the Argentine invasion in 1982. She landed troops in amphibious assaults on the Islands and the Argentine surrender was signed on her deck at the conclusion of the Falklands War.

  1. ^ a b c d e Blackman 1971, p. 341.
  2. ^ a b c d Moore 1985, p. 632.
  3. ^ Prézelin and Baker 1990, p. 721.