DUKES OF THE FRONTLINE

First entering service in the early 1990s, the Type 23 ‘Duke’ class frigates have now been the mainstay of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet for the best part of three decades. Originally intended to have service lives of only 18 years, ships of the class have benefited from a series of upgrades that has kept them fit for frontline duties. With further improvements currently under way, it will not be until the 2030s that the last units leave Royal Navy service.

Design work on the Type 23 frigates commenced in the early 1980s. It was the height of the Cold War and the Royal Navy’s primary mission was to counter the Soviet submarine threat in the North Atlantic. The frigates then under construction, the Type 22s, were capable submarine hunters, but were considered too large and expensive at a time when the navy’s budget was under pressure. A more cost-effective solution was required. The early staff requirements for the Type 23s were dominated by the ability to deploy a large towed array, known as the Type 2031Z, to detect