- Yes
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HMS Bristol (D23):
Overview:
An innovative, one-off Royal Navy multirole guided missile destroyer, designed in the 1960s. Key features are the dual powerplant, the Sea Dart AAW and Ikara ASuW systems, and powerful air search radars.
History:
Design:
Bristol was, to summarise briefly, a ship for a fleet that was never built. As part of the CVA-01 programme, the Royal Navy identified the need for Fleet Escorts for the new carrier fleet. There was also a desire to develop a ship capable of mounting the new upcoming “Sea Dart” missile system. These ships, due to the nature of their multirole purpose, were designated “Type 82” - HMS Bristol was the lead ship of this four, or possibly six ship class, and were potentially to be equipped with the exceptionally modern and capable Type 988 in collaboration with the Dutch Navy. Ultimately, due to the political atmosphere at the time, and the excessive infighting between the RAF and the Royal Navy as to who could fulfil the role known at the time as “East of Suez”, the CVA-01 Carriers were cancelled on the grounds of excessive cost. Bristol was saved from the axe however, as the Navy foresaw the need for a new ship to be used for developments of new technologies.
Service History:
HMS Bristol’s service history for her first couple of years consisted of flag-waving exercises after commissioning in 1973, visiting various NATO ports, and as the first ship fitted with the “Sea Dart”, was mainly focussed around trialling the system. She spent 2 years operational only on her Gas Turbine, due to a major fire which knocked the Steam Turbine out of action, thus demonstrating the utility of having two separate powerplants. In 1979 she received her first major refit, in which she gained two 20mm cannon. During this refit her Limbo mortars were removed and the “well” was turned into a swimming pool for the crew. She also was fitted out with Corvus chaff countermeasure launchers, Link 11 Datalink, and an ECM was also fitted. Then just before she set sail for the Falklands her swimming pool was drained and plated over to allow for Westland Wasps to land on the quarterdeck.
Bristol finally saw Combat service in the Falklands War of 1982, leading a reinforcement task force to replace hull losses such as Sheffield. The group arrived on the 10th of May, and was put into action as part of fleet defence around the carriers. While she fired her Sea Darts during the conflict, there is no evidence that suggests that any missiles fired hit enemy aircraft. She remained as the Flagship of the task force in the Falklands until she was relieved in September. The hull losses in the Falklands meant that the Royal Navy decided to retain Bristol in commission further
Post Falklands, Bristol was refitted with further small calibre cannon (see Weaponry), and more importantly had her Type 965 Air Search Radar replaced with a more modern Type 1022 set. She also lost use of her Ikara, and this was not replaced, although there were plans to replace it with STWS-1 torpedo tubes.
She was retained in active service until a further fire in 1986 damaged her powerplant such that she was deemed uneconomical to fully repair, and she was taken out of operational service in 1991. However, she was taken alongside HMS Excellent, a shore training establishment in Portsmouth, UK, and was used as a training aid/accommodation site. Damage Control Parties, Boarding Teams, Cadets, and Marine Engineers were all visitors to Bristol in this guise. Finally, in 2020, her age finally resulted in her decommissioning. Despite a proposal to preserve her, as of early 2025 she is set to undergo scrapping
Statistics:
Length: 155 metres (507ft)
Beam: 17 metres (55ft)
Maximum Speed: In excess of 29 knots
Powerplant: 2x Rolls Royce Olympus TM1, developing 23,200shp each, or;
2x Steam Turbines, developing 6,800shp each
Displacement: 6,300 tons empty, in excess of 7,000 tons loaded
Weaponry:
Initial Construction:
1x 4.5in (113.4mm) Mark 8 gun
1x twin GWS.30 Sea Dart Launcher (mounted aft), 40 rounds
1x Ikara ASuW system, 20 rounds (mounted for’ard, behind the 4.5in gun)
1x “Limbo” Mark 10 ASuW mortar
1978/9 version:
1x 4.5in (113.4mm) Mark 8 gun
1x twin GWS.30 Sea Dart Launcher (mounted aft), 40 rounds
1x Ikara ASuW system, 20 rounds (mounted for’ard, behind the 4.5in gun)
2x single Oerlikon 20mm cannon
Post-Falklands War/1983 version:
1x 4.5in (113.4mm) Mark 8 gun
1x twin GWS.30 Sea Dart Launcher (mounted aft), 40 rounds
1x Ikara ASuW system, 20 rounds (removed in 1984)
2x single Oerlikon 20mm cannon
2x single Oerlikon/BMARC GAM-B01 20mm cannon
2x twin Oerlikon/BMARC GCM-A03 30mm cannon
Additional Notes:
2x Triple Tube STWS-1 (planned, never fitted)
Countermeasures:
Corvus Chaff decoys (1979 onwards)
UAA-1 “Abbey Hill” ECM/ESM (1979 onwards)
Mark 36 SRBOC (Post Falklands/1982 onwards)
Sensors:
As planned(1966):
1x Type 966 Surveillance/Fire Control Radar
1x Type 988/SPS-1 “Broomstick” Air Search Radar
1x Type 992Q Air/Surface Search Radar
2x Type 909 Tracking Radar (Sea Dart)
1x Type 978 Navigation Radar
1x Type 170 Sonar (Limbo)
1x Type 184 Sonar
As fitted(1973):
1x Type 965 AKE II Air Search Radar
1x Type 992Q Air/Surface Search Radar
2x Type 909 Tracking Radars (Sea Dart)
1x Type 978 Navigation Radar
1x Type 170 Sonar (Limbo)
1x Type 184 Sonar
Refit (1984):
1x Type 1022 Air Search Radar
1x Type 992Q Air/Surface Search Radar
2x Type 909 Tracking Radars (Sea Dart)
1x Type 978 Navigation Radar
1x Type 170 Sonar (Limbo)
1x Type 184 Sonar
Notes:
Fitted with “Link 11” Datalink
Sources:
Websites:
HMS Bristol : HMS Excellent : Training Establishments : Establishments : Operations and Support : Royal Navy (Web.archive)
From Sea Dart to Sea Viper – area air defence for the Royal Navy | Navy Lookout
https://www.cia.gov/readingroom/docs/CIA-RDP05T00644R000501470028-8.pdf (CIA briefing, approved for release)
Books/Literature:
“British Guided Missile Destroyers” by Edward Hampshire, ISBN 978-1-4728-1116-5
“The Battle for the Falklands” by Max Hastings and Simon Jenkins, ISBN 978-0-330
