View source for HMS Ambuscade (F172)

{{short description|Type 21 or Amazon-class frigate of the Royal Navy and Pakistan Navy}}
{{Other ships|HMS Ambuscade}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Infobox ship
|section1={{Infobox ship/image
 |image=HMS Ambuscade (F172).jpg
 |image_caption=''Ambuscade'' firing her 4.5-inch gun
 }}

|section2={{Infobox ship/career
 |hide_header=
 |country=United Kingdom
 |flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
 |name=HMS ''Ambuscade''
 |namesake=
 |ordered=
 |awarded=
 |builder=[[Yarrow Shipbuilders]]
 |original_cost=
 |yard_number=1008
 |way_number=
 |laid_down=1 September 1971
 |launched=18 January 1973
 |sponsor=
 |christened=
 |completed=
 |acquired=
 |commissioned=5 September 1975
 |recommissioned=
 |decommissioned=28 July 1993
 |in_service=
 |out_of_service=
 |renamed=
 |reclassified=
 |refit=
 |struck=
 |reinstated=
 |homeport=
 |registry=
 |motto=* ''Tempori insidior''
        * ("I bide my time")
 |nickname=
 |honours=
 |captured=
 |identification=[[Pennant number]]: F172
 |fate=Sold to Pakistan on 28 July 1993
 |status=
 |notes=To be returned to the United Kingdom for preservation as a museum ship
 |badge=
 }}

|section3={{Infobox ship/characteristics
 |hide_header=
 |header_caption=
 |class=[[Type 21 frigate]]
 |displacement=3,250 tons full load
 |length={{convert|384|ft|m|abbr=on}}
 |beam={{convert|41|ft|9|in|m|abbr=on}}
 |height=
 |draught={{convert|19|ft|6|in|m|abbr=on}}
 |depth=
 |decks=
 |propulsion=* [[COGOG]]:
             * 2 × [[Rolls-Royce Olympus]] gas turbines
             * 2 × [[Rolls-Royce Tyne]] RM1A gas turbines for cruising
 |speed={{convert|32|kn}}
 |range=* {{convert|4000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|17|kn}}
        * {{convert|1200|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|30|kn}}
 |endurance=
 |boats=
 |capacity=
 |complement=177
 |crew=
 |time_to_activate=
 |troops=
 |sensors=
 |EW=
 |armament=* 1 × [[4.5 inch (114 mm) Mark 8 naval gun]]
           * 2 × [[Oerlikon 20 mm cannon]]
           * 4 × MM38 [[Exocet]] missiles
           * 1 × quadruple [[Seacat (missile)|Sea Cat SAMs]]
           * 2 × triple ASW torpedo tubes
           *2 × Corvus [[Chaff (radar countermeasure)|chaff]] launchers
           * 1 × Type 182 towed decoy
 |armour=
 |aircraft=1 × [[Westland Wasp]] helicopter, later refitted for 1 × [[Westland Lynx]]
 |aircraft_facilities=
 |notes=
 }}
}}

'''HMS ''Ambuscade''''' is a retired [[Type 21 frigate]] of the [[Royal Navy]]. She was built by [[Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd]], [[Glasgow]], [[Scotland]].  She entered service in 1975. ''Ambuscade'' took part in the [[Falklands War]] of 1982.

''Ambuscade'' was sold to Pakistan in 1993 and served their navy as {{ship|PNS|Tariq|1993|6}} until 2023.

==Service history==
{{for|service with the Pakistan Navy|PNS Tariq (D-181)}}
''Ambuscade'' was launched on 18 January 1973 by [[Anthony Griffin (Royal Navy officer)|Lady Griffin]], wife of the [[Controller of the Navy (Royal Navy)|Controller of the Navy]], and was commissioned at Devonport on 5 September 1975.<ref name="service-history">{{cite web |url=https://type21club.org/wiki/hms-ambuscade-f172/ambuscade-service-history/ |title=Ambuscade Service History |last=Gough |first=Richie |date=30 August 2014 |website=Type 21 Club |access-date=9 October 2019 |archive-date=25 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925022122/https://type21club.org/wiki/hms-ambuscade-f172/ambuscade-service-history/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> During 1976 and 1977 her commander was [[Peter Abbott]] who subsequently attained Flag rank.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://type21club.org/wiki/hms-ambuscade-f172/ |title=HMS Ambuscade (F172) |first=Richie |last=Gough |date=30 August 2014 |website=Type 21 Club |access-date=13 June 2015 |archive-date=16 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150616092109/http://type21club.org/wiki/hms-ambuscade-f172/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

''Ambuscade'' took part in the [[Falklands War]] of 1982, serving as an Electronic Warfare [[picket ship]] to the Task Force,
and taking part in several [[naval gunfire support|bombardment]]s of Argentine positions.<ref name="service-history" /> On 25 May ''Ambuscade'' was targeted by two [[Exocet#Falklands War|Exocet missiles]] fired by Argentine [[Dassault-Breguet Super Étendard|Super Étendard]] [[strike fighter|strike aircraft]].  ''Ambuscade'' detected the aircraft at 30 miles and the missile launch at 22 miles, first with radar then visually, and fired [[Corvus chaff launchers|chaff decoys]] in an attempt to confuse the missiles' seekers.  Both missiles then locked on to [[SS Atlantic Conveyor|SS ''Atlantic Conveyor'']] impacting her port quarter, and setting her on fire. ''Atlantic Conveyor'' sank whilst under tow on 28 May.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.thinkdefence.co.uk/the-atlantic-conveyor/ |title=The Atlantic Conveyor |date=14 July 2021 |publisher=Think Defence }}</ref> On the night of 13 June she fired 228 4.5-inch shells in support of [[2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment|2 Para]]'s [[Battle of Wireless Ridge|assault of Wireless Ridge]].

On 27 April 1983, ''Ambuscade'' was conducting tactical manoeuvres with ships of the [[United States Navy]] in the [[Indian Ocean]]. During the course of the exercise, she collided with the guided missile cruiser {{USS|Dale|DLG-19|6}}, resulting in part of her bow being torn away.<ref name="clydebuilt">{{cite web |url=http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=1611 |title=HMS Ambuscade | website=ClydeBuilt Database |access-date=8 November 2009 |date=5 March 2004|url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041106092134/http://www.clydesite.co.uk/clydebuilt/viewship.asp?id=1611 |archive-date=6 November 2004}}</ref> ''Ambuscade'' was laid up in [[Bombay]] for six weeks while a new bow was constructed and fitted.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ambuscade.org.uk/Amb_Collision01-1.htm |title=Collision with USS Dale 1983 |website=HMS Ambuscade Association |access-date=8 November 2009}}</ref> Whilst laid up, some of the crew performed as extras in the film [[On Wings of Fire]]. There was enough damage to have ''Dale'' [[dry docked]] when she returned to [[Jacksonville, Florida]].{{citation needed|date=April 2022}} ''Ambuscade'' was in collision with the trawler ''Ester Colleen'' in heavy fog off [[Torbay]] on 26 October 1983. The trawler was badly holed in the collision.<ref>{{cite news |title=Trawler holed |newspaper=[[The Times]] |date=27 October 1983 |issue= 61674 |page=3}}</ref>

From November 1983 to February 1984, ''Ambuscade'' served as a West Indies Guardship.<ref name="critp137">{{harvnb|Critchley|1992|p=137}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ambuscade changes the guard |newspaper=[[Navy News]] |date=March 1984 |page=14 |url= https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/images/navynews/archivepdfs/1980s/1984/navy-news-march-1984-issue-356.pdf#page=14 |access-date=8 August 2020}}</ref> On 8 June 1984, ''Ambuscade'' went to the assistance of the [[schooner]] ''Stena of Sitoo'', which had struck an object in the [[North Sea]] and been holed below the waterline.<ref name=Times090684>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Air-sea aid for holed schooner |date=9 June 1984 |page=3 |issue=61853 |column=A, B }}</ref>

In late 1984, suffering from cracking in her hull, she was taken in for refitting, with a steel plate being welded down each side of the ship. At the same time modifications were made to reduce hull noise and four Exocet launchers were added in front of the bridge.

In 1993, she was decommissioned and sold to Pakistan and recommissioned as [[PNS Tariq (D-181)|PNS ''Tariq'']], and remains in active service.

In December 2021, it was announced that it was hoped that when decommissioned, she could be returned to the United Kingdom for preservation as a museum ship.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Hope of bringing "Awesome Amazon" home to the Clyde |url=https://hmsardent.org/ardlines-news/hope-of-bringing-awesome-amazon-home-to-the-clyde |access-date=2022-04-02 |website=HMS Ardent Association |language=en-GB}}</ref>

In February 2023, it was announced that the Royal Navy was backing the plan to return her to the United Kingdom and will be preserved in [[Glasgow]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.stv.tv/west-central/falklands-warship-launched-from-river-clyde-in-1973-to-be-preserved-as-a-museum-ship-in-glasgow | title=Falklands warship launched in 1973 to be turned into museum | date=21 February 2023 }}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:left"
|+List of deployments<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ambuscade.org.uk/amb_visit01.htm |title=RN Career and Programme |website=HMS Ambuscade Association |access-date=9 October 2019}}</ref>
!From
!To
!Detail
!Note
|-
|1975||1976|||Sea trials
|-
|1977||1977|||[[Standing Naval Force Atlantic]]||6 months
|-
|1978||1978|||5th Frigate Squadron and cruiser [[HMS Blake (C99)|HMS ''Blake'']]. Western Atlantic and Pacific||5 months
|-
|1979||1979|||UK waters
|-
|1979||1979|||Belize and West Indies Guardship
|-
|1980||1980|||Refit at [[HMNB Devonport|Devonport]]
|-
|1981||1982|||Sea training. [[Armilla Patrol]]
|-
|1982||1982|||South Atlantic ([[Falklands War]])
|-
|1983||1983|||Collision while on Armilla Patrol
|-
|1983||1984|||West Indies Guardship
|-
|1984||1986|||Refit at Devonport
|-
|1986||1987|||Falklands Guardship
|-
|1988||1988|||West Indies Guardship
|-
|1989||1989|||UK and Europe
|-
|1990||1990|||Falklands Guardship
|-
|1991||1991|||West Indies Guardship
|-
|1992||1992|||Falklands Guardship
|-
|1993||1993|||Sold to the Pakistan Navy
|}

[[File:HMS Ambuscade in Bermuda.jpg|thumb|right|''Ambuscade'' at the [[Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda|HM Dockyard Bermuda]] in 1988]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

===Bibliography===
* {{Cite Colledge2006}}
* {{cite book|last=Critchley |first=Mike |title=British Warships Since 1945: Part 5: Frigates|year=1992| publisher=Maritime Press|location=Liskeard, UK|isbn=0-907771-13-0}}
* {{cite book |last=Marriott |first=Leo |date=1983 |title=Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983 |location=Surrey |publisher=Ian Allan Ltd |isbn=978-0-7110-1322-3}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|HMS Ambuscade (F172)}}

*{{cite web |url=http://www.ambuscade.org.uk/ |title=Home |website=HMS 'Ambuscade' Association}}

{{Type 21 frigate}}
{{Falklands War British ships}}
{{2022 shipwrecks}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ambuscade (F172)}}
[[Category:Type 21 frigates]]
[[Category:Falklands War naval ships of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1973 ships]]
[[Category:Ships built on the River Clyde]]