HMS ''Westminster'' is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, and the second ship to bear the name. She was launched on 4 February 1992 and named for the Dukedom of Westminster.

Operational history

1994–2000

In early August 1995, Operation Harlech was initiated in response to a volcanic eruption in

Montserrat Montserrat ( ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, with r ...

. The ''Westminster'' arrived off the island on 9 August and provided emergency relief aid. The ship was joined by on 19 August, both ships provided emergency relief assistance until the end of the month. ''Westminster'' was used for the interior shots in the 1997 James Bond film '' Tomorrow Never Dies'' as three different (fictional) Type 23 frigates – HMS ''Chester'', HMS ''Devonshire'' and HMS ''Bedford''. For the exterior shots HMS ''Somerset'' was used with some features added by model construction. On 3 February 1999, ''Westminster'' joined the Atlantic Patrol Ship South, relieving

HMS Norfolk Five ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS ''Norfolk'', after the Duke of Norfolk or the county of Norfolk. The ''Norfolk'' motto is ''Serviens servo'' ("serving, I preserve"). * was an 80-gun third rate launched in 1693. She was rebuilt ...

which was taking part in Operation Basilica in Sierra Leone. When the situation improved it was decided to withdraw ''Westminster'' and she sailed from the area on 18 March.

2001–2010

In 2004, ''Westminster'' was assigned one of the Royal Navy's first

Merlin Merlin ( cy, Myrddin, kw, Marzhin, br, Merzhin) is a mythical figure prominently featured in the legend of King Arthur and best known as a mage, with several other main roles. His usual depiction, based on an amalgamation of historic and le ...

helicopters. Also in 2004, the ship was the first to be fitted with the new low-frequency Sonar 2087 designed to detect the most advanced

submarine A submarine (or sub) is a watercraft capable of independent operation underwater. It differs from a submersible, which has more limited underwater capability. The term is also sometimes used historically or colloquially to refer to remotely op ...

s. The technology is controversial as its effects on marine wildlife remain unclear. In December 2005, the ship's company of ''Westminster'' were all granted Freedom of the

City of Westminster The City of Westminster is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and London boroughs, borough in Inner London. It is the site of the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament and much of the British government. It occupies a large area of cent ...

. 200 naval officers and sailors in full ceremonial uniform paraded through the streets of London from Westminster Abbey to Horse Guards as part of the celebration service. ''Westminster'' was chosen as a very rare recognition of her contributions to Westminster schools, local charities and the community as a whole. The honour entitles the crew the freedom to "parade through the City on all ceremonial occasions in full panoply and with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed". The frigate was deployed to Burma in May 2008 to spearhead the British relief effort after Cyclone Nargis devastated the country, but later had to withdraw after the

junta Junta may refer to: Government and military * Junta (governing body) (from Spanish), the name of various historical and current governments and governing institutions, including civil ones ** Military junta, one form of junta, government led by ...

refused to grant permission for aid to be landed.

2011–present

In March 2011, ''Westminster'' took part in

Operation Ellamy Operation Ellamy was the codename for the United Kingdom participation in the 2011 military intervention in Libya. The operation was part of an international coalition aimed at enforcing a Libyan no-fly zone in accordance with the United Nation ...

, the British role in the coalition action during the

2011 Libyan civil war The First Libyan Civil War was an armed conflict in 2011 in the North African country of Libya that was fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and rebel groups that were seeking to oust his government. It erupted with the Liby ...

by enforcing a

naval blockade A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions. It includ ...

. She took part in Exercise Saxon Warrior in the Western Approaches with the US aircraft carrier in May 2011, culminating in a so-called '

Thursday War A Thursday War is the colloquial name given in the Royal Navy for the weekly war-fighting and damage control exercises that are held during Fleet Operational Sea Training (FOST), so named because they are usually held on a Thursday. FOST is respo ...

'. On 23 January 2012, ''Westminster'' departed Portsmouth to reinforce the British guided-missile destroyer that was also underway for the Persian Gulf to relieve the frigate . Whilst in the Persian Gulf she made a port call in Dubai where one of her sailors ( Leading Seaman Timothy Andrew MacColl, 27, from Gosport in Hampshire) disappeared, prompting a bilateral search between the Royal Navy and local authorities. He was declared dead by the Royal Navy in May 2014. In early 2013, she was part of the multi-national Exercise Joint Warrior, practising amphibious operations off the coast of Scotland. In September she was part of the COUGAR 13 task group, for a series of joint exercises in the Mediterranean and Persian Gulf. She visited

Gibraltar ) , anthem = " God Save the King" , song = " Gibraltar Anthem" , image_map = Gibraltar location in Europe.svg , map_alt = Location of Gibraltar in Europe , map_caption = United Kingdom shown in pale green , mapsize = , image_map2 = Gib ...

on the way to the Middle East. This came amidst growing tensions between Spain and Britain over the status of Gibraltar; however the British Government described the visit as 'routine'. In September 2013, she practised anti-submarine drills with the

Italian Navy "Fatherland and Honour" , patron = , colors = , colors_label = , march = ( is the return of soldiers to their barrack, or sailors to their ship after a ...

's and the . In the Gulf of Oman, ''Westminster'' conducted anti-submarine drills against . In October 2013, she exercised with the Indian Navy off Goa. On 8 September 2014, she docked at

East India Dock The East India Docks were a group of docks in Blackwall, east London, north-east of the Isle of Dogs. Today only the entrance basin and listed perimeter wall remain visible. History Early history Following the successful creation of the We ...

, by Canary Wharf, in London. In November 2014, ''Westminster'' entered extended refit in Portsmouth; she returned to sea in January 2017 with a new principal weapon system,

Sea Ceptor The CAMM (Common Anti-Air Modular Missile) is a family of surface-to-air missiles developed by MBDA UK for the United Kingdom. CAMM shares some common features and components with the ASRAAM air-to-air missile, but with updated electronics and an ...

, in place of Seawolf, Radar Type 997 (better known as Artisan) and numerous modifications and alterations to her accommodation and working spaces. ''Westminster'', in company with sailed with USS ''George H.W. Bush'' again, as in 2011, by taking part in Exercise Saxon Warrior off Scotland. During December 2018 on a tour of the Baltic Sea, ''Westminster'' experienced problems with her propulsion and engines while visiting the port of Gdynia, curtailing other port visits in the region. In July 2020, she took part in NATO exercise Dynamic Mongoose. In September 2022, ''Westminster'' fired two Harpoon missiles in ''Operation Atlantic Thunder 22'' in a SinkEx exercise alongside US forces in which the decommissioned US frigate USS ''Boone'' was sunk in the

North Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Africa, Europe and ...

Affiliations

* Churchers College Royal Navy CCF Section * City of London School Royal Navy CCF Section *

* Duke of Westminster * Haringey and Enfield Sea Cadet Unit *

Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment The Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment (HCMR) is a cavalry regiment of the British Army tasked primarily with ceremonial duties. Part of the Household Division, it is classed as a regiment of guards, and carries out mounted (and some dismount ...

* National Westminster Bank (Westminster branch) * Southgate and Barnet Sea Cadet Unit * The Parliamentary Maritime Group * Queen's Own Yeomanry * University of London Royal Naval Unit *

Westminster Abbey Choir School Westminster Abbey Choir School is a boarding preparatory school for boys in Westminster, London and the only remaining choir school in the United Kingdom which exclusively educates choristers (i.e. only choirboys attend the school). It is loca ...

Westminster Underground Station Westminster is a London Underground station in the City of Westminster. It is served by the Circle, District and Jubilee lines. On the Circle and District lines, the station is between St James's Park and Embankment, and on the Jubilee lin ...

Worshipful Company of Fan Makers The Worshipful Company of Fan Makers is one of the Livery Companies of the City of London. The company was incorporated by a Royal Charter in 1709. As fan making is now done by machines rather than by craftsmen, the company is no longer a trade ...

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Westminster Frigates of the United Kingdom History of the City of Westminster Ships built by Swan Hunter Ships built on the River Tyne 1992 ships Type 23 frigates of the Royal Navy