D-96 Gloucester

Country:  United Kingdom

Class, [Type]: Type 42C, [DDG].

Builder: Vosper Thornycroft, Woolston, U.K.

Launch date: 02 November 1982.

Commission date: 11 September 1985.

Decommission date: 30 June 2011.

Displacement ( tons ): 3.880 standard, 4.775 full load.

Dimensions ( metres ): 141,1 x 14,9 x 5,8

Main machinery: COGOG: 2 x RR Olympus TM3B gas turbines ( 50.000 hp ), 2 x RR Tyne RM1C gas turbines ( 10.680 hp ).

Speed ( knots ): 29,5.

Range ( miles ): 4.750 at 18 knots.

Complement: 285 ( 27 officers ).

Guns: 1 x Vickers 114mm/55 Mk8, 2 x GE/GD Vulcan Phalanx Mk15 CIWS 20mm.

Missiles:  SAM: 1 x Sea Dart GWS.30 system (22 missiles).

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

Radar: Air: 1 x BAE Systems-Thales Type 1022, D band, 265km range; Air/Surface: 1 x BAE Systems Type 996, E/F bands; Navigation: 1 x Kelvin Hughes Type 1007, I band, 1 x Decca Type 1008; Fire Control: 2 x BAE Systems Type 909 Mod 1, I/J bands, 2 x General Dynamics Mk 90.

Sonar: BAE Systems Type 2050, 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: UAT(5) ( interceptor ).

Helicopter: 1 x Westland Lynx HMA 3/8.

Callsign: GBBF ()

Comment: During the first Gulf War, the Gloucester´s embarked Lynx was responsible of the destruction of some antiaircraft guns, missile patrol craft, minesweepers and small transport ships of Iraq´s Navy. But the most important thing done by this ship, and that´s why it is so special, is the fact that it was the first RN ship to intercept an incoming Silkworm missile, targeted against USS Missouri.

Similar units:

 D95 Manchester
 D97 Edinburgh