Romanian frigate Regina Maria (F222)

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Regina Maria underway in Constanța, August 2014
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS London
NamesakeLondon
BuilderYarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down7 February 1983
Launched27 October 1984
Commissioned5 June 1987
Decommissioned14 January 1999
IdentificationPennant number: F95
FateSold to Romania on 14 January 2003
Romania
NameRegina Maria
NamesakeMarie of Edinburgh
Acquired14 January 2003
Commissioned21 April 2005
Identification
StatusIn active service
Badge
General characteristics
Class and typeType 22 frigate
Displacement5,300 tonnes
Length148.1 m (486 ft)
Beam14.8 m (49 ft)
Draught6.4 m (21 ft)
Propulsion
Speed
  • 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) (cruise)
  • 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph) (max)
Complement250
Armament
Aircraft carried

Regina Maria (F222) is a Type 22 frigate of the Romanian Naval Forces, formerly a Royal Navy ship named HMS London (F95). It is named after Queen Marie of Romania, wife of King Ferdinand I of Romania.

Service

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HMS London was a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy, originally named Bloodhound but renamed London at the request of the Lord Mayor of London.

She was flagship of the Royal Navy task force during the 1991 Gulf War.

She was decommissioned on 14 January 1999 and sold to the Romanian Navy on 14 January 2003, being commissioned as Regina Maria on 21 April 2005. Before the sale the Sea Wolf and Exocet missile systems were removed, and the only armament the ship had when delivered was two 30 mm BMARC cannons and two three-tube anti-submarine torpedo launchers. The Romanian Navy had a 76 mm OTO-Melara gun system fitted forward where the Exocets had been mounted, but no missile systems or additional weapons have been fitted. There has since been some controversy over the price for which Romania purchased the ship.[1]

Romanian authorities are currently working in collaboration with the Romanian COMOTI institute [ro] to replace two of the Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines with two ST40M turbine engines designed at COMOTI.[2]

Commanding officers

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Notable commanding officers include Iain Henderson (1990-1991), Mark Stanhope (1991-1992) and Timothy McClement (1992-1994).

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Leigh, David (13 June 2006). "We paid three times too much for UK frigates, Romania says". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 14 June 2006.
  2. ^ Filip Niculescu; Claudia Borzea; Iulian Vlăducă; Andrei Mitru; Mirela Vasile; Alexandra Țăranu; Gabriel Dediu (2021). "Automation control for revamping the propulsion system of a navy frigate". Scientific Bulletin - "Politehnica" University of Bucharest. D. 83 (1). ISSN 1454-2358.

Publications

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