1971 HMS SHEFFIELD. Sheffield was the leader of a class of ten Type 42 guided-missile destroyers built in two batches over a ten-year period from 1970. She met a tragic end during the Falklands War in 1982.
SHEFFIELD CLASS
Planning for a new class of guided-missile destroyers for the Royal Navy, capable of providing area defence against air attack for the fleet, began in the late 1 960s, and was subject to considerable political pressure to minimise costs. The primary result of that was to see the ships truncated by over 15m (5Oft), which proved to be a false economy, making them uncomfortably wet forwards and reducing their speed. Sheffield (D 80), the class leader, was built at Vickers-Armstrong, Barrow; laid down on 15 January 1970, she was launched on 10 June 1971 but not completed until 16 February 1975. She was severely damaged by an Exocet missile launched by an Argentine Super Etendard aircraft off the Falkiands Island on 4 May 1982, and sank under tow six days later.
MACHINERY AND ARMAMENT
One of the beneficial aspects of the need to keep costs down was to see the Sheffield class ships (and most of the Royal Navys more recent commissions) powered by COGOG Combination of Gas or Gas machinery: two Olympus gas turbines for high-speed running, two much smaller Tyne gas turbines for cruising, an arrangement which is both economical and very effective, and allows rapid engine replacement for major overhaul. She mounted a single 4 (114mm) Mk 8 DP automatic gun and two single 2 Oerlikon cannon, but her main armament consisted of missiles a twin launcher for GWS3O Sea Dart SAMs, which have a limited surface-to- surface capacity. Later ships in the class were fitted with twin triple banks of tubes to launch lightweight anti-submarine torpedoes, but Sheffield herself was not so equipped. She carried a Sea Lynx helicopter.
TECHNICAL DATA
Type: Guided-missile destroyer
Machinery: 2 COGOG with 2 Olympus gas turbines developing a total of 50,000shp and 2 Tyne gas turbines developing a total of 8000shp
Dimensions (overall): Length, 125m (410ft); beam 14m (46ft)
Displacement: 3850t standard, 4350t deep load
Draught: 5.8m (1 9ft)
Complement: 299-312
