Ескортні міноносці класу «Рівер»

Основна інформація

Тип:

Есмінець

Батьківський клас:

Фрегати класу Rothesay Фрегати класу «Ліндер»

Оператори:

Королівські військово-морські сили Австралії

Країна будівництва:

Австралія

Компанія будівник:

Williamstown Dockyard Cockatoo Island Dockyard

Побудовано:

Списано:

На службі:

1961 – 1998 (37 років)

Головні розміри

Водотоннажність:

2 790 т

Довжина:

113.3 м

Ширина:

13.1 м

Машина

Силова установка:

2 * English Electric steam turbines
2 * shaft
30,000 shp

Швидкість:

31.9 вуз

Персонал

Екіпаж:

250

Бойові сили та засоби

Електроніка:

LW02 long range air warning radar

1979:

Mulloka sonar system
SPS-55 surface-search/navigation radar
Mark 22 fire control radar
Other system for different units

Озброєння:

Type 12M:

1 * 2 4.5 inch (113 mm) Mark 6 guns
2 * Limbo anti-submarine mortars

Type 12I Batch III:

1 * 2 4.5 inch (113 mm) Mark 6 guns
1 * quad Seacat SAM launcher
1 * Limbo mortar
1 * Ikara ASW system

All four of the Type 12M units were refitted with both the Seacat and Ikara missile systems, replacing 40 mm AA guns and Limbo mortars. During refits in the 1980s the Ikara and Seacat systems were removed and 2x Mark 32 triple torpedo launchers were added to all 5 remaining ships (Yarra was scrapped in 1985). Along with this, the 3 newest ships (Derwent, Swan & Torrens) also got mounts for a removable RBS-70 laser guided missile system. (Parramatta and Stuart were due to be decommissioned in 1991, so were not given the RBS-70's as their service life would only be a few more years.)

The River class was a class of six destroyer escorts (originally designated anti-submarine frigates) operated by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). Plans to acquire four vessels, based on the British Type 12M (or Rothesay class) frigate, began in the 1950s. The first two vessels had some slight modifications to the design, while the next two underwent further changes. Two more ships were ordered in 1964, following the Melbourne-Voyager collision; these were based on the Type 12I (or Leander class) frigate.

By the 1990s, all six ships had left service. Two were sunk as part of tests, and a third was scuttled as an artificial reef, while the other three ships were scrapped.