HMS Zulu (F124)
Template:Short description Template:Other ships Template:Use dmy dates
Template:Infobox ship imageTemplate:Infobox ship careerTemplate:Infobox ship careerTemplate:Infobox ship characteristicsHMS Zulu (F124) was a Template:Sclass2 of the Royal Navy in service from 1964 to 1984. She was the third ship bearing the name of Template:HMS, having been named after an ethnic group located primarily in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. Zulu was built by Alexander Stephen and Sons, of Govan. She was launched on 3 July 1962 and commissioned on 17 April 1964.
She was sold to the Indonesian Navy in 1984 and renamed KRI Martha Khristina Tiyahahu (331).
Design and construction
The Tribal-, or Type 81-class, frigates were developed in the mid-1950s as a General Purpose frigate, capable of use in both anti-submarine and anti-aircraft duties in a full-scale war, while serving for Cold War policing duties in peace-time,<ref name="Friedp242">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="marp70">Template:Harvnb</ref> in particular to replace the old Template:Sclass2s serving in the Persian Gulf.<ref name="conways p518"/>
The Tribals were Template:Convert long overall and Template:Convert between perpendiculars, with a beam of Template:Convert.<ref name="conways p518">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="marp72">Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="jfs71 p356">Template:Harvnb</ref> The ship's hull had a draught of Template:Convert,<ref name="Friedp322">Template:Harvnb</ref> with the propeller increasing overall draught to Template:Convert.<ref name="jfs71 p356"/> Displacement was Template:Convert standard and Template:Convert full load.<ref name="conways p518"/><ref name="jfs71 p356"/> Propulsion was by a single-shaft Combined steam and gas (COSAG) arrangement, effectively half of the powerplant of the Template:Sclass2s. A single Babcock & Wilcox boiler fed steam at Template:Convert and Template:Convert to a geared steam turbine rated at Template:Convert, which could be supplemented by a Metrovick G-6 gas turbine rated at Template:Convert to reach top speed, with the gas turbine also allowing the ship to get underway quickly in an emergency, without having to wait to raise steam.<ref name="conways p518"/><ref name="Friedp242"/> Speed was about Template:Convert using both steam and gas turbine power,<ref name="conways p518"/><ref name="jfs71 p356"/> and Template:Convert on steam power alone.<ref name="marp70"/>
The ships were fitted with two QF 4.5-in (113 mm) Mark 5 guns, salvaged from scrapped Second World War destroyers, mounted fore and aft. Anti-aircraft armament consisted of two Seacat anti-aircraft missile launchers with a GWS 21 director. For anti-submarine and anti-ship duties, a hangar and flight deck for a single Westland Wasp helicopter was fitted, while a Limbo anti-submarine mortar provided close-in anti-submarine armament.<ref name="conways p518"/><ref name="marp702">Template:Harvnb</ref> Mohawk was fitted with a large Type 965 long range air search radar on a lattice foremast, with a Type 993 short range air/surface target indicating radar and Type 978 navigation radar also fitted. An MRS3 fire control system was carried to direct the 4.5-inch guns.<ref name="marp723">Template:Harvnb</ref> The ship had a sonar suite of Type 177 medium range search sonar, Type 162 bottom search and Type 170 attack sonar.<ref name="marp72"/> The ship had a crew of 253 officers and other ranks.<ref name="conways p518"/><ref name="jfs71 p356"/> Two 20mm Oerlikon cannon were later fitted for use against small boats during low intensity patrol and policing duties.<ref name="marp73">Template:Harvnb</ref>
Zulu was laid down at Alexander Stephen and Sons, Govan, Glasgow shipyard on 13 December 1960. She was launched on 3 July 1962 and commissioned on 17 April 1964.<ref name="conways p518"/> The ship's cost was £5,100,000.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Zulu was the only Tribal completed with Seacat missiles; her six sister frigates were built with two 40 mm Bofors guns and fitted with the Seacat system during later refits.<ref name="conways p518"/>
Royal Navy Service
After commissioning and workup, Zulu joined the 9th Frigate Squadron, operating east of Suez.<ref name="critv5p112">Template:Harvnb</ref> On 1 July 1965, Zulu went to the assistance of survivors from the Greek merchant ship Template:SS, who had abandoned ship and came ashore on Abd al Kuri island, South Yemen.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 16 August 1965, Zulu returned to the UK for refit, which was completed at Rosyth in January 1966.<ref name="critv5p112"/><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1966, Zulu contributed to the Beira Patrol off the coast of East Africa, assisting in the enforcement of an oil blockade on Rhodesia.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She was on patrol for over 120 days in 1967, intercepting four ships suspected of carrying oil for Rhodesia.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
From January to October 1967 Zulu was commanded by the future Admiral of the Fleet William Staveley.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On 23 October 1970, the Liberian-flagged tanker Template:MV collided with the tanker Template:MV off the Isle of Wight and caught fire with 13 killed aboard Pacific Glory. Zulu and the frigate Template:HMS, together with the civilian tenders Atherfield and Culver, helped to fight the fire aboard the stricken tanker.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
In 1972, a United States Navy P-3 Orion aircraft crashed on a mountain in northern Morocco with the loss of 14 crew. Zulu's Westland Wasp helicopter was sent to the wreckage site, where five bodies were found. In 1974, Zulu deployed to the West Indies.Template:Citation needed When Guatemala threatened to annex Belize in 1975, Zulu steamed to the area from an American port to augment British forces. Such was the urgency that Zulu left 20 sailors behind.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
.jpg)
In 1977, Zulu was presented at the Spithead Fleet Review, held in honour of Queen Elizabeth's Silver Jubilee. At this time she was part of the 4th Frigate Squadron.<ref>Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. Silver Jubilee Fleet Review, HMSO</ref> Later that year, Zulu formed part of the eight-ship Group 6 deployment, led by the cruiser Template:HMS, on naval exercises in the Far East.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>
Manpower shortages in the Royal Navy necessitated Zulu being reduced to reserve in 1979, as part of the Standby Squadron.<ref>Template:Hansard</ref><ref name="Han">Template:Hansard</ref> She was placed on the disposal list in 1981.<ref name="Han"/> During the Falklands War, Zulu was taken out of reserve and prepared for active service,<ref>Template:Hansard</ref> recommissioning on 9 August.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She operated in home waters and as the West Indies Guard Ship.
In November 1983 Zulu became the Gibraltar Guardship.<ref name="critv5p112"/> Before decommissioning on 30 March 1984, Zulu, as the last ship in commission with more than one gun turret, fired the Royal Navy's last "full" broadside.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
Indonesian Navy Service
Indonesia bought Zulu on 16 April 1984, renaming the frigate KRI Martha Khristina Tiyahahu,<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref><ref name="cf98p3367">Template:Harvnb</ref> in honour of Martha Christina Tiahahu, who fought against Dutch colonial forces. After refit at Vosper Thornycroft's Woolston yard, the ship commissioned into the Indonesian Navy on 2 May 1985.<ref name="cf98p3367"/> The frigate was struck from the Indonesian Naval Vessel Register in 2000.<ref>Template:Harvnb</ref>