The Type 23 Frigate is a class of frigate built for the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom. All the ships were first named after British Dukes, thus the class is also known as the Duke class. The first Type 23 was commissioned in 1989, and the sixteenth, HMS St Albans was launched in May 2000 and commissioned in June 2002. They form the majority of the Royal Navy's destroyer and frigate fleet.
Three of the frigates have been sold to Chile and serve with the Chilean Navy. The remaining thirteen remain in service with the Royal Navy.
HMS Kent has received 23 upgrades in a demanding refit, as well as undergoing a full programme of deep maintenance including structural repairs, renewal of hull coatings and refurbishment of all of her systems and equipment.
The 50 week contract was delivered on time by Babcock, who run the Rosyth dockyard, and required 295,000 man hours to see the overhaul of more than 500 pieces of equipment, the application of 15,000 litres of paint and the installation of 13km of cable.
Upgrades and improvements included the installation of Sonar 2087; a variable depth anti-submarine warfare system; a new Command System central to the ship’s fighting capability against air, surface and underwater threats; large and small gun replacements; filters to protect air supplies against nuclear, biological and chemical attack, and an air conditioning system which will stabilise conditions on board in the most extremes of temperatures.
HMS Kent is seen here departing Rosyth on post refit trials on Friday 11th November 2011.
The assisting tugs were:
MT Deerhound
MT Fidra
