D-108 Cardiff

Country:  United Kingdom

Class, [Type]: Type 42A, [DDG].

Builder: Vickers Shipbuilding & Engineering, Barrow-in-Furness, U.K.

Launch date: 22 February 1974.

Commission date: 24 September 1979.

Decommission date: 15 July 2005.

Displacement ( tons ): 3.500 standard, 4.100 full load.

Dimensions ( metres ): 125 x 14,3 x 5,8

Main machinery: COGOG: 2 x RR Olympus TM3B gas turbines ( 50.000 hp ), 2 x RR Tyne RM1A gas turbines ( 4.100 hp ).

Speed ( knots ): 29.

Range ( miles ): 4.000 at 18 knots.

Complement: 253 ( 24 officers ), but the total amount could rise up to 312.

Guns: 1 x Vickers 114mm/55 Mk8. 2 or 4 x Oerlikon/BMARC GAM-B01 20mm, 2 x Oerlikon 20mm Mk7A ( in units with only 2 x BMARC ). 2 x GE/GD Vulcan Phalanx Mk15 CIWS 20mm.

Missiles:  SAM: 22 x British Aerospace Sea Dart, in a double mount at the bow.

Torpedoes: 6 x 324mm Plessey STWS Mk 2 ( 2 triple tubes ). Marconi Stingray.

Radar: Air: Marconi/Signaal Type 1022, D band, 265km range. Air/Surface: Plessey Type 996, E/F bands; Navigation: Kelvin Hughes Type 1007, I band; Fire Control: 2 x Marconi Type 909, I/J bands.

Sonar: Plessey Type 2016, hull mounted, active search and attack modes. Kelvin Hughes Type 162M, hull mounted.

Countermeasures: Decoys: 4 x Sea Gnat . Towed torpedo decoy Graseby Type 182; ESM/ECM: MEL UUA-2 ( interceptor ), Type 675 ( jammer ).

Helicopter: 1 x Westland Lynx HMA 3/8.

Callsign: GQIF ()

Comment: During the first Gulf War, the Cardiff´s embarked Lynx, along with Gloucester´s, was responsible of the destruction of some antiaircraft guns, missile patrol craft, minesweepers and small transport ships of Iraq´s Navy.

Similar units:

 D87 Newcastle
 D88 Glasgow