HMS Exeter (D89)

HMS "Exeter" (D89) is a Type 42 destroyer, the fifth ship of the Royal Navy to be named "Exeter", after the city of Exeter in Devon.

"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" sported a turquoise hull; this was an experimental co-polymer paint which was only available in a few non-standard colours at the time. The experiment proved successful and the ship's hull was repainted to standard brick red/black during its first docking period, post Operation Corporate.

The ship saw service in the Falklands War shooting down four Argentine aircraft [ [http://www.naval-history.net/F64argaircraftlost.htm 30 May: two A-4C, 7 June: one Learjet and 13 June: one Canberra; all with Sea Dart missiles] ] , 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 First Sea Lord. Among her roles was the air defence of the US battleships bombarding enemy positions. She attended Falklands 25th anniversary commemorations at Newquay, Cornwall in 2007, as the last remaining Royal Navy ship in commission to have served in the Falklands. [http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_6690000/newsid_6694000?redirect=6694027.stm&news=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1&bbwm=1&bbram=1&asb=1]

On 30 July 2008, she was placed in a state of 'Extended Readiness' at HMNB Portsmouth. With her crew dispersed it is unlikely she will sail again before her planned decomissioning in 2009.

Affiliations

* The Rifles
* Exeter College, Oxford
*Worshipful Company of Plaisterers

References

External links

* [http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.1642 Royal Navy: HMS "Exeter" official homepage]
* [http://www.hmsexeter.co.uk HMS "Exeter" unofficial website]
* [http://www.navynews.co.uk/articles/2004/0406/0004061802.asp Navy News article]