A Falklands friend: HMS Westminster Type 23 frigate to be scrapped in Turley
It marks the end of an era for a former Royal Navy Type 23 frigate that has served since 1992, and was well known in the Falkland Islands given her recurrent visits a South Atlantic patrol.
HMS Westminster, a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, will be scrapped in Turley, marking the end of a significant era. Commissioned in 1992, this capital ship has been well-known in the Falkland Islands due to its frequent visits as part of South Atlantic patrols. The frigate has served in various roles, including fleet duties, warfighting, and peacekeeping missions, despite being originally designed for anti-submarine warfare.
HMS Westminster replaced the original HMS Westminster (L40), a W-class destroyer from World War I, which saw action during the Blitzkrieg and was later sold for scrap in 1963. The current vessel was launched on February 4, 1992, and after spending most of its career on NATO patrols, Gulf tasks, and counter-piracy operations, it also starred in the 1997 James Bond film "Tomorrow Never Dies."
In March 2011, the frigate participated in Operation Ellamy, the UK's mission to enforce UN resolution on Libyan citizens. In 2017, it underwent its first Life Extension refit at Portsmouth. However, Conservative MP James Cartlidge, then Minister of State for Defense Procurement, announced in May 2024 that HMS Westminster would be placed for disposal. It will be scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey, leaving the Royal Navy with five Type 23 frigates, down from its peak of thirteen.
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