HMS Nubian (F131)

History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Nubian
Builder	Portsmouth Dockyard
Laid down	7 September 1959
Launched	6 September 1960
Commissioned	9 October 1962
Identification	Pennant number F131
Fate	Sunk as target 1987
General characteristics
Class and type	Tribal-class frigate
Displacement	2,300 long tons (2,300 t) standard; 2,700 long tons (2,700 t) full load;
Length	360 ft 0 in (109.73 m) oa; 350 ft 0 in (106.68 m) pp;
Beam	42 ft 3 in (12.88 m)
Draught	13 ft 3 in (4.04 m); 17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) (propellers);
Propulsion	Single-shaft COSAG; 1 Steam turbine 12,500 shp (9,300 kW); 1 Metrovick G-6 gas turbine 7,500 shp (5,600 kW);
Speed	27 knots (50 km/h; 31 mph) (COSAG)
Range	4,500 nautical miles (8,300 km; 5,200 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	253
Sensors and ; processing systems	Radar type 965 air-search; Radar type 993 low-angle search; Radar type 978 navigation; Radar type 903 gunnery fire-control; Radar type 262 GWS-21 fire-control; Sonar type 177 search; Sonar type 170 attack; Sonar type 162 bottom profiling; Ashanti and Gurkha;; Sonar type 199 variable-depth;
Armament	2 × single 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mark 5* Mod 1 guns; 2 × single 40 mm Mark 7 Bofors guns, later;; 2 × four-rail GWS-20 Sea Cat missile systems; 2 × single 20 mm Oerlikon guns; 1 × Mark 10 Limbo ASW mortar;
Aircraft carried	1 × Westland Wasp helicopter
Service record
Operations:	Beira Patrol

HMS Nubian was a Tribal-class frigate of the Royal Navy in service from 1962 and 1979. She was named after the Nubian ethnic group, located in Egypt and Sudan. She was sunk as a target in 1987.

Nubian was built by Portsmouth Dockyard,^[2] at a cost of £4,360,000.^[3] She was launched on 6 September 1960 by Lady Holland-Martin, wife of Vice-Admiral Sir Deric Holland-Martin,^[4] and commissioned on 9 October 1962.^[2]

Operational service

In 1964, Nubian suffered a collision that caused minor damage.^{[citation needed]} She joined the Beira Patrol off Mozambique in 1967, supporting the enforcement of an oil blockade of Rhodesia.^[5] Nubian constituted the escort for the Daily Mail Trans-Atlantic Air Race in 1969 that commemorated the 50th Anniversary of Alcock and Brown's non-stop transatlantic flight from Newfoundland to Britain.^{[citation needed]} In 1971 she was present at Portsmouth Navy Days.^[6] In 1975, Nubian reinforced the British garrison in Belize after Guatemala intensified its threats to annex the territory.^[7]

Nubian was present at the 1977 Spithead Fleet Review, held in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. At this time she was part of the 5th Frigate Squadron.^[8]

In 1978, Nubian assisted in the cleanup after the supertanker Amoco Cadiz grounded off the coast of Brittany; more than 200,000 tons (180,000 metric tons) of oil had polluted the Brittany coastline.^{[citation needed]}

Nubian entered the reserve in 1979, being placed in the Standby Squadron and put on the disposal list in 1981.^[9] While in reserve, Nubian became a training ship and had parts cannibalised for three sister-ships sold to Indonesia in 1984.^{[citation needed]} The frigate was sunk as a target on 27 May 1987.^[10]

References

^ Blackman 1971, p. 356.
^ ^a ^b Gardiner, Robert & Chesneau, Roger (1995), p. 518.
^ "Nuclear Submarine Costs £18M". The Times (55633): Col A, p. 6. 23 February 1963.
^ "Frigate in a Hurry". The Times (54870): Col B, p. 14. 7 September 1960.
^ "Navy Checks on Tanker Off Beira". The Times (56904): Col G, p. 1. 1 April 1967.
^ Programme, Navy Days Portsmouth, 29th–31st August 1971, p13.
^ "Britain winning support for Belize self-determination". The Times (59552): Col B, p. 7. 13 November 1975.
^ Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, HMSO
^ Hansard (26 April 1982), api.parliament.uk. Retrieved 13 March 2012.
^ Colledge, J. J. & Warlow, Ben (2010), p. 284.

Publications

Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low, Marston & Co., Ltd. ISBN 0-354-00096-9.
Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8.
Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Roger, eds. (1995). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-8517-7605-7.
Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983. Surrey: Ian Allan Ltd.