Hms Exeter (D89) was a Type 42 Batch II destroyer (City class destroyer), she was the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to be named Exeter, after the city of Exeter.
Exeter was the first of the slightly modified 'Batch 2' Type 42 destroyers. This was a mid-build consideration with her later sister ship, Hms Southampton sporting a similar weapons and sensors upgrade with no discernible hull modifications. The weapons and sensors fit was the first grouping of the 1022, 992Q and 1006 radars in a British warship.
Early in her first commission, Exeter had a turquoise hull on and below the waterline; this was an experimental co-polymer paint which was only available in a few non-standard colours at the time. The light-blue 'Boot-Topping' visible on the waterline was eventually repainted to standard brick red/black during her first docking period.
The ship saw service in the Falklands War (1982) in which she shot down three Argentine aircraft, deploying to the area from the Caribbean after the start of the British invasion operations to replace Sheffield. Exeter also served in Operation Granby, the 1991 Gulf War, under the command of Captain Nigel Essenhigh, Royal Navy, later the First Sea Lord. She attended the 25th anniversary commemorations of the Falklands War at Newquay, Cornwall in 2007, as the last remaining Royal Navy ship in commission to have served in the Falklands.
On 30 July 2008, she was placed in a state of 'Extended Readiness' at HMNB Portsmouth, until being decommissioned there on 27 May 2009. In early 2010 Exeter was in use as a training hulk to assist with the training of new naval base tugs.
Her last official British port of call was to Leith, Edinburgh between the 13th - 16th June 2008.
She is seen here arriving at Leith on the 13th June
Alongside 15th June
Seen here departing Leith on the 16th June
