Mermaid 1975
| Name | No | Yard No | Builder | Laid down | Launched | Comp | Fate |
| Mermaid | F76 | 2284 | Yarrow SB, Scotstoun | 1965 | 29.12.1966 | 16.5.1973 | to Malaysia 5.1977 (Hang Tuah) |
|
Displacement standard, t |
2300 |
|
Displacement full, t |
2520 |
|
Length, m |
97.5 pp 103.4 oa |
|
Breadth, m |
12.2 |
|
Draught, m |
3.70 hull 4.90 screws |
|
No of shafts |
2 |
|
Machinery |
8 ASR1 diesels |
|
Power, h. p. |
14400 |
|
Max speed, kts |
24 |
|
Fuel, t |
diesel oil 230 |
|
Endurance, nm(kts) |
4800(15) |
|
Armament |
1 x 2 - 102/45 Mk 19, 4 x 1 - 40/60 Mk 9, 1 x 3 - 305 Limbo Mk 10 ASWRL, helicopter deck |
|
Electronic equipment |
AWS-1, type 978 radars, STD Mk 1 e/o system, type 174, type 170B sonars |
|
Complement |
235 |
Project history: Ordered by Ghana to serve as flagship and presidential yacht for President Nkrumah, but cancelled when a coup toppled him from power. She was launched without being named and completed fitting out in 1968, but without armament. Negotiations to sell her abroad failed and after being laid up at Scotstoun she was bought by the RN in April 1972 for conversion to a training ship; refitting started at Chatham in October that year.
The design was based on the Type 41 or Leopard class, but without the raised forecastle and with a flush forecastle deck and a funnel.
Modernizations: None.
Naval service: Although successful in RN service, she was an odd number in the inventory and was sold to Malaysia in May 1977 as Hang Tuah, replacing the previous ship of that name.
Many thanks to Wolfgang Stöhr for additional information on this page.
© Ivan Gogin, 2016