HMS Broadsword (F88)
Encyclopedia
HMS Broadsword was the lead ship and first Batch 1 unit of the Type 22 frigate
s of the Royal Navy
.
.
Broadsword took part in the 1982 Falklands War
where, on 25 May 1982, she was providing air defence support to HMS Coventry
. A technical fault in her Sea Wolf missile
system allowed two Argentine Skyhawks
to sink the Coventry. Broadsword was hit by one bomb, which bounced up through the helicopter deck and put out of action a Lynx helicopter, before exiting and exploding harmlessly. She subsequently rescued 170 of the sunken Coventry's crew. She shot down one IAI Dagger
of FAA Grupo 6 & shared an A-4C Skyhawk kill with HMS Antelope
s Sea Cat, land-based Rapiers
and Blowpipe
SAM
s.
In 1993 Broadsword took part in the naval operation in support of Operation Grapple (Yugoslavia)
, in the Adriatic Sea
. Upon completion on 8 July 1993, a fire broke out in the Aft Auxiliary Machinery Room (AAMR). This resulted in the deaths of two on-watch engineers; LMEM(M) Mark Hunt, age 30, and MEM(M) Roy Ware, age 22.
She was decommissioned on 31 March 1995 and was sold to the Brazilian Navy
on 30 June 1995 and renamed Greenhalgh.
Type 22 frigate
The Type 22 Broadsword class is a class of frigate built for the British Royal Navy. Fourteen of the class were built in total, with production divided into three batches. With the decommissioning of HMS Cornwall on 30 June 2011, the final Type 22 of the Royal Navy was retired from service...
s of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
.
Service
While on sea trials, Broadsword was called into service as the command ship during the large rescue operation required after storms struck the 1979 Fastnet race1979 Fastnet race
The 1979 Fastnet race was the twenty-eighth Fastnet race, a yachting race competition held since 1925, generally every two years. In 1979, it was the climax of the five-race Admiral's Cup competition, as it had been since 1957....
.
Broadsword took part in the 1982 Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
where, on 25 May 1982, she was providing air defence support to HMS Coventry
HMS Coventry (D118)
HMS Coventry was a Type 42 destroyer of the Royal Navy. Laid down by Cammell Laird and Company, Limited, at Birkenhead on 29 January 1973, she was launched on 21 June 1974 and accepted into service on 20 October 1978 at a cost of £37,900,000.She was sunk by Argentine Air Force A-4 Skyhawks on 25...
. A technical fault in her Sea Wolf missile
Sea Wolf missile
Sea Wolf is a naval guided missile system designed and built by BAC, later to become British Aerospace Dynamics . It is an automated point-defence weapon system designed as a final line of defence against both sea-skimming and high angle anti-ship missiles and aircraft...
system allowed two Argentine Skyhawks
A-4 Skyhawk
The Douglas A-4 Skyhawk is a carrier-capable ground-attack aircraft designed for the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps. The delta winged, single-engined Skyhawk was designed and produced by Douglas Aircraft Company, and later McDonnell Douglas. It was originally designated the A4D...
to sink the Coventry. Broadsword was hit by one bomb, which bounced up through the helicopter deck and put out of action a Lynx helicopter, before exiting and exploding harmlessly. She subsequently rescued 170 of the sunken Coventry's crew. She shot down one IAI Dagger
IAI Nesher
The Israel Aircraft Industries Nesher is the Israeli version of the Dassault Mirage 5 multi-role fighter aircraft...
of FAA Grupo 6 & shared an A-4C Skyhawk kill with HMS Antelope
HMS Antelope (F170)
HMS Antelope was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy that participated in the Falklands War. Her keel was laid down 23 March 1971 by Vosper Thornycroft in Woolston, Southampton, England. Budget costs for this class were £3.5 million but actual costs exceeded £14 million...
s Sea Cat, land-based Rapiers
Rapier missile
Rapier is a British surface-to-air missile developed for the British Army and Royal Air Force. Entering service in 1971, it eventually replaced all other anti-aircraft weapons in Army service; guns for low-altitude targets, and the English Electric Thunderbird, used against longer-range and...
and Blowpipe
Blowpipe missile
The Shorts Blowpipe is a man-portable surface-to-air missile which was in use with the British Army and Royal Marines from 1975. It was superseded by an interim design, Javelin, and later the greatly improved Starstreak missile.-Description:...
SAM
Surface-to-air missile
A surface-to-air missile or ground-to-air missile is a missile designed to be launched from the ground to destroy aircraft or other missiles...
s.
In 1993 Broadsword took part in the naval operation in support of Operation Grapple (Yugoslavia)
Operation Grapple (Yugoslavia)
Operation Grapple was the codename given to the deployment of British forces in Bosnia from 1992 as part of the United Nations Protection Force .-References:* http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Bosnia/bosnia-units.html...
, in the Adriatic Sea
Adriatic Sea
The Adriatic Sea is a body of water separating the Italian Peninsula from the Balkan peninsula, and the system of the Apennine Mountains from that of the Dinaric Alps and adjacent ranges...
. Upon completion on 8 July 1993, a fire broke out in the Aft Auxiliary Machinery Room (AAMR). This resulted in the deaths of two on-watch engineers; LMEM(M) Mark Hunt, age 30, and MEM(M) Roy Ware, age 22.
She was decommissioned on 31 March 1995 and was sold to the Brazilian Navy
Brazilian Navy
The Brazilian Navy is a branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces responsible for conducting naval operations. It is the largest navy in Latin America...
on 30 June 1995 and renamed Greenhalgh.