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HMS Westminster moored alongside HMS Belfast
History
UK
Name	HMS Westminster (F237)
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	December 1989
Builder	Swan Hunter
Laid down	18 January 1991
Launched	4 February 1992
Commissioned	13 May 1994
Motto	For Nation and for Glory
Status	in active service
General characteristics
Class and type	'Duke'-class Type 23 frigate
Displacement	4,900 tonnes
Length	133 m (463 ft 3 in)
Beam	16.1 m (52 ft 10 in)
Draught	7.3 m (23 ft 11 in)
Propulsion	list error: <br /> list (help) CODLAG (Combined Diesel-eLectric And Gas) 2 × Rolls-Royce Spey boost gas-turbines 4 × Paxman Valenta diesel engines 2 × GEC electric motors
Speed	list error: <br /> list (help) 28 knots (52 km/h) 15 knots (28 km/h) on diesel-electric
Range	7,800 nautical miles (14,400 km) at 15 knots (28 km/h)
Complement	185
Armament	list error: mixed text and list (help) 2 x quadruple Harpoon launchers total of 8 harpoons 1 x Sea Wolf GWS.26 VLS total of 32 missiles 2 x twin 12.75in (324mm) tubes for Stingray ASW torpedoes total of 24 torpedoes 1 x 4.5-inch Mk 8 DP gun 2 x DS 30B 30mm AA guns 2 x CIWS
Aircraft carried	*list error: list item missing markup (help) 1 x Lynx HMA.Mk3/8 or Merlin HM.Mk 1 helicopter. Armed with anti submarine and ship missiles and torpedoes.

HMS Westminster (F237) is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, and the second ship to bear the name. She was launched on 4 February 1992.

HMS Westminster was used for the interior shots in the 1997 James Bond film Tomorrow Never Dies in three different roles - as HMS Chester, HMS Devonshire and HMS Bedford. For the exterior shots a model was constructed.

In 2004, HMS Westminster was assigned one of the Royal Navy's first Merlin helicopters. Also in 2004, the ship was the first to be fitted with new state-of-the-art sonar technology designed to detect the most advanced submarines. The technology is controversial as its effects on marine wildlife remain unclear.

In December 2005, the ship's company of HMS Westminster were all granted Freedom of the City of London. 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. HMS 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".

She 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 refused to grant permission for aid to be landed.

Affiliations

• Duke of Westminster
• City of Westminster
• Worshipful Company of Fanmakers
• Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment
• The Queen's Own Yeomanry
• Westminster Abbey Choir School
• Churchers College Royal Navy CCF Section
• City of London School Royal Navy CCF Section
• Southgate and Barnet Sea Cadet Unit
• Haringey and Enfield Sea Cadet Unit
• University of London Royal Naval Unit
• The Parliamentary Maritime Group
• Westminster Underground Station
• National Westminster Bank (Westminster branch)
• Westminster Boating Base (WBB)

See also

Media related to HMS Westminster (F237) at Wikimedia Commons

References

1. http://website.lineone.net/~david-carrington/Militaria/RoyalNavy/Major.htm
2. BBC NEWS | England | Cornwall | Last Merlin squadron commissioned
3. BBC NEWS | Scotland | New sonar protection for warships
4. HMS Westminster crew granted Freedom of the City

External links

• HMS Westminster home page
• HMS Westminster home information page

Gallery

• A tribute to the ship at Westminster tube station.
• Docked in Portsmouth next to HMS Iron Duke.

v t e Type 23 frigates
Royal Navy	Norfolk Marlborough Argyll† Lancaster† Iron Duke† Monmouth† Westminster# Northumberland# Montrose† Richmond# Somerset# Grafton Sutherland# Kent# Portland# St Albans#
Chilean Navy	Almirante Cochrane (ex-Norfolk) Almirante Condell (ex-Marlborough) Almirante Lynch (ex-Grafton)
Preceded by: Type 22 frigate Followed by: Type 26 frigate (ASW) / Type 31 frigate (GP)
# = Fitted with towed array sonar for ASW operations † = General purpose ship without towed array sonar List of frigate classes of the Royal Navy

v t e Commissioned ships of the Royal Navy
Aircraft carriers	Queen Elizabeth class Queen Elizabeth Prince of Wales
Submarines	Vanguard class Vanguard Victorious Vigilant Vengeance Trafalgar class Triumph Astute class Astute Ambush Artful Audacious Anson
Destroyers	Type 45 Daring Dauntless Diamond Dragon Defender Duncan
Frigates	Type 23 Argyll Lancaster Iron Duke Westminster Richmond Somerset Sutherland Kent Portland St Albans
Amphibious warfare ships	Albion-class LPD Albion Bulwark
Mine counter measures vessels	Sandown class Penzance Pembroke Bangor Hunt class Ledbury Cattistock Brocklesby Middleton Chiddingfold Hurworth
Patrol vessels	Ice patrol vessel Protector River class Severn Tyne Mersey Forth Medway Trent Tamar Spey Archer class Archer Biter Smiter Blazer Puncher Charger Ranger Trumpeter Express Example Explorer Exploit Tracker Raider Pursuer Dasher Cutlass class Cutlass Dagger
Survey vessels	Ocean survey vessel Scott Survey launch Magpie
Miscellaneous	Ship of the line Victory (flagship of the First Sea Lord)

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