Name HMS Galatea (F18) Laid down 29 December 1961 Decommissioned 31 January 1987 Construction started 29 December 1961 Length 113 m Displacement 2.223 million kg Builder Swan Hunter | Operator Royal Navy Commissioned 25 April 1964 Motto Nobis Mare Patria Launched 23 May 1963 Weight 2,489 tons Draft 5.5 m | |
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HMS Galatea (F18) was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham on the Tyne. She was launched on 23 May 1963 and commissioned on 25 April 1964 and was the 8th ship of the Royal Navy to bear the name. She was also nicknamed the "Black Pig".
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First deployments
Upon her commission, Galatea was immediately stationed in the Mediterranean. The following year, Galatea was involved in exercises in that region, and in 1966 joined the 27th Escort Group which were also based in the Mediterranean. Later that year, Galatea returned to United Kingdom waters when she joined the Home Fleet, a fleet soon to be consigned to the history books. In 1968, Galatea was present with HMS Dainty in West Germany during the Kiel Week event, which combines a yachting race and festival entertainment. In the same year she took part in Portsmouth 'Navy Days'.
Refitting and Cod Wars
In 1971, Galatea began a period of refit and modernisation, which included the installation of the Ikara and Sea Cat weapons systems. The refit was completed in 1974. The following year, Galatea was engaged in operations during the Third Cod War with Iceland, patrolling against possible aggression towards British fishing trawlers. In 1976, the Icelandic gunboat Baldur rammed Galatea.
Galatea's last decade
In 1977, Galatea underwent a refit before participating in a Fleet Review, in honor of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. Galatea, leader of the 1st Frigate Squadron, was positioned between her sister-ship HMS Phoebe and the cruiser HMS Blake.
In 1978, Galatea returned to the Mediterranean, where a number of patrols and exercises were undertaken. Much of 1980 was spent in the Far East, but a planned nine-month deployment ended with the start of the Iran–Iraq War. In 1981, Galatea refitted in Gibraltar before deploying to the Persian Gulf on Armilla Patrol, where she remained until about 1983. The frigate decommissioned in January 1987 and was sunk as a target in July 1988, as part of naval exercises in the North Atlantic.