Leander-class frigate

Class overview
NameLeander class
Operators
Preceded by
Succeeded byType 21 frigate
Subclasses
Built1959–1973
In commission1963–1993 (Royal Navy)
Completed26
Retired26 (3 as artificial reefs, 2 as targets)
General characteristics
TypeFrigate
Displacement
  • 2,350 tons standard, broad-beam 2,500 tons (later 2,790 tons) standard
  • 2,860 tons full load, broad-beam 2,962 tons (later 3,300 tons) full load
Length113.4 metres (372 ft)
Beam12.5 metres (41 ft), broad-beamed 13.1 metres (43 ft)
Draught4.5 metres (15 ft) normal, 5.5 metres (18 ft) deep, broad-beamed 5.5 metres (18 ft) (later 5.8 metres (19 ft)) deep
Propulsion2 Babcock & Wilcox oil-fired boilers, geared steam turbines, 22,370 kilowatts (30,000 hp), 2 shafts
Speed27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph)
Range7,400 kilometres (4,600 mi; 4,000 nmi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph)
Complement260
Sensors and
processing systems
  • Radar:
  • Type 965 (air warning radar removed during the Ikara conversion), Type 992 Q, Type 903, Type 974/978
  • Sonar:
  • Type 162, 184, 199, & later Type 2031 and Type 2016 sonar
  • 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘣𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘮:
  • ADAWS-5 (Action Data Automated Weapon System) for Batch 1 - Ikara
Electronic warfare
& decoys
ESM system with UAA-8/9 warning and Type 668/669 jamming elements.
Armament
  • Initial:
  • 2 × 4.5-inch guns (1 × twin mounting Mk6)
  • 1 × Seacat surface-to-air missile launcher
  • 2 × 20mm guns (single mountings)
  • 2 × 40mm Mk VII Bofors (single mountings) initially in first 7 instead of Seacat & 20mm guns
  • 1 × ASW Limbo mortar
  • Batch 1 – Ikara:
  • 1 × Ikara Anti-submarine missile Launcher
  • 2 × Seacat surface-to-air missile launchers
  • 2 × 40mm guns – single mountings
  • 2 × triple 324 mm (12.75) STWS-1 tubes for Mk 46 and Stingray ASW torpedoes
  • 1 × Limbo ASW Mortar
  • Batch 2 – Exocet/Seacat:
  • 4 × MM.38 Exocet anti-ship missile launchers
  • 3 × Seacat surface-to-air missile launchers
  • 2 × 40mm guns – single mountings
  • 2 × triple 324 mm (12.75 inch) STWS-1 tubes for Mk 46 and Stingray ASW torpedoes
  • Batch 3 – Exocet/Seawolf:
  • 4 × MM.38 Exocet anti-ship missile launchers
  • 1 × sextuple GWS.25 launcher with 30 Sea Wolf SAMs
  • 2 × 20mm AA guns
  • 2 × triple 324 mm (12.75) STWS-1 tubes for Mk 46 and Stingray ASW torpedoes
Aircraft carried

The Leander-class, or Type 12I (Improved) frigates,[1][2][3] comprising twenty-six vessels, was among the most numerous and long-lived classes of frigate in the Royal Navy's modern history. The class was built in three batches between 1959 and 1973. It had an unusually high public profile, due to the popular BBC television drama series Warship. The Leander silhouette became synonymous with the Royal Navy through the 1960s until the 1980s.

The Leander design or derivatives of it were built for other navies:

  1. ^ Purvis, M.K., 'Post War RN Frigate and Guided Missile Destroyer Design 1944–1969', Transactions, Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA), 1974
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference RNFp87 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Postwar Frigates