HMS Alacrity (F174)

History
United Kingdom
Name: HMS Alacrity
Operator: Royal Navy
Builder: Yarrow Shipbuilders
Commissioned: 2 July 1977
Decommissioned: 1 March 1994
Identification: Pennant number: F174
Motto:
  • Adjuvero propero
  • (Latin: "I hasten to help")
Fate: Sold to Pakistan on 1 March 1994
Pakistan
Name: PNS Badr
Operator: Pakistan Navy
Commissioned: 1 March 1994
Decommissioned: April 2013
Status: Decommissioned
General characteristics
Class and type: Type 21 frigate
Displacement: 3,250 tons full load
Length: 384 ft (117 m)
Beam: 41 ft 9 in (12.73 m)
Draught: 19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
Propulsion:
Speed: 32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range:
  • 4,000 nautical miles at 17 knots (7,400 km at 31 km/h)
  • 1,200 nautical miles at 30 knots (2,220 km at 56 km/h)
Complement: 177
Armament:
Aircraft carried: 1 × Westland Wasp helicopter, later refitted for 1 × Lynx

HMS Alacrity was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy.

Alacrity was active during the Falklands War of 1982, where she sunk a supply ship, survived four Exocet-missile attacks and rescued men from the Atlantic Conveyor.

Background

Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland, she was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position.

Royal Navy service

1977-1981

In 1977, Alacrity took part in the Fleet Review, of the Royal Navy at Spithead in celebration of HM the Queen's Silver Jubilee.[1]

Falklands War

Alacrity participated in the Falklands War, departing Devonport on 5 April 1982, captained by Commander Christopher Craig.

The most notable incident involving Alacrity was the sinking of the 3000 ton Argentine supply ship ARA Isla de los Estados by gunfire over the night of 10–11 May 1982, near Swan Islands. At the time, Alacrity was on a mission to establish whether or not the Argentines had mined the north entrance to Falkland Sound.[2] Alacrity was slightly damaged by splinters from an Argentine bomb on 1 May.

As Alacrity left the Falkland Sound on 11 May, the Argentine submarine, San Luis was reported to have fired two torpedoes at Alacrity and her sister ship Arrow. Both missed, and the ships rejoined the task force.

On 25 May, Alacrity sustained her only damage, a bump to her bow, while rescuing survivors of SS Atlantic Conveyor which had been struck with Exocet missiles.[3]

Alacrity survived about ten air attacks, including four Exocet missiles and two bombs that all missed.[3]

1982-1994

As with the other surviving Type 21 frigates, Alacrity was suffering from cracking in her hull by the mid-1980s. She was taken in for refitting, and a steel plate was welded down each side of the ship. At the same time modifications were made to reduce hull noise.

In 1989 whilst deployed as West Indies Guard Ship "Alacrity" was tasked for humanitarian relief on the island of Montserrat in the British West Indies after the island suffered devastation in the wake of hurricane "Hugo". The ship's Lynx helicopter being the sole means of transporting aid ashore as the port was destroyed.

Pakistan Navy service

Alacrity was decommissioned and transferred to Pakistan on 1 March 1994, being renamed Badr. Exocet was not transferred to Pakistan and Badr had her obsolete Sea Cat launcher removed. Signaal DA08 air search radar replaced the Type 992 and SRBOC chaff launchers and 20 mm and 30 mm guns were fitted.

Between 11–21 May 2008, Badr participated in Exercise Inspired Union, a multi-national exercises in the North Arabian Sea. Other Pakistani warships included the frigate Shah Jahan and the replenishment tanker Nasr, as well as the Pakistan Air Force explosive ordnance disposal team, and the American destroyers Curts and Ross.[4]

Badr was decommissioned in April 2013 by the Pakistan Navy.

Commanding officers

FromToCaptain
19761978Commander R B Mortlock RN
19781979Commander A J Bannister RN
19801982Commander C J S Craig DSC RN
19821983Commander B B Perowne RN
19831985Commander M A Johnson RN
19851986Commander J H S McAnally RN
19871989Commander R P Barton RN
19891990Commander C D Ferbrache RN
19901992Commander A R C Bennett DSC RN
19921994Commander A Croke RN

References

  1. ↑ Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, HMSO
  2. ↑ One Hundred Days, Admiral Sandy Woodward, Pages 280 and 281. ISBN 978-0-00-713467-0
  3. 1 2 "Alacrity dodges four Exocets". Navy News p.23. August 1982.
  4. ↑ Lt. (j.g.) Bryan Boggs, USN (6 June 2008). "USS Curts, Pakistani Navy Participate in Officer Exchange Program". NNS080602-12. Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group Public Affairs. Retrieved 27 December 2010.

Publications

Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.

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