AFTER an £8 million upgrade, HMS Dumbarton Castle is back in the Fleet.

The 22-year-old ship is due to take over patrol duties in the South Atlantic, relieving sister ship HMS Leeds Castle.

The nine-month refit has seen the patrol ship fitted with three new diesel generators and the junior rates’ mess has been rebuilt. In addition two new cranes, capable of handling the larger rigid inflatable seaboats needed for her Atlantic territory, have been installed.

Her commanding officer Lt Cdr John Garratt said: “The ship’s company has worked incredibly hard to get the ship to this point and can be justly proud of their achievements.

“We can now deploy to the South Atlantic with a top-class ship and a high-spirited team ready to fight and win.”

During the rededication, RPO Dave Burnside and Lt Gemma Fullman received medals for their roles in Iraq and Afghanistan respectively.

Five other prizes were awarded to members of the ship’s company for outstanding achievements during operational sea training.

Dumbarton Castle will spend three years on her patch based at the Falkland Islands, with her crew being rotated every six months.

The 81-metre ship is powered by two 12-cylinder diesel engines, and has a top speed of about 18 knots.

Her armament consists of a 30mm cannon and four general purpose machine guns and her flight deck is large enough to handle a Sea King helicopter.

She has a complement of between 42 and 52, depending on her role, and she has temporary accommodation for 25 Royal Marines.

The current Dumbarton Castle is the third ship in the Royal Navy to bear the name.

The first was a sixth-rate frigate, originally of the Scots Navy but added to the list of the Royal Navy in 1707.

The second was a Castle-class corvette, built in Dundee in 1944, which spent much of her service in the North Atlantic hunting U-boats, going into reserve in 1946 and being scrapped.