HMS Gloucester (D96) is a Batch 3 Type 42 destroyer, around 16 metres longer than her earlier Batch 1 and 2 sisters.

She was built by Vosper Thornycroft at Woolston, launched on November 2, 1982 and commissioned almost three years later, on September 11, 1985.

The Type 42 destroyer was designed principally as an area air defence ship, providing protective cover for itself and a task group with British Aerospace Sea Dart surface to air missiles.

But they have proved versatile ships in a variety of roles since their introduction, and include in their armoury a 4.5in gun, torpedoes and helicopter-launched Sea Skua air to surface missiles.

Gloucester has been involved in a range of activities since she sailed from her home base of Portsmouth early in 2001.

Port visits included Durban (South Africa), Dar es Salaam (Tanzania), Maputo (Mozambique), Mombasa (Kenya), the Seychelles, Singapore, Brunei and Penang (Malaysia.)

Gloucester made history in the Gulf War when she became the first Royal Navy warship to shoot down an enemy missile in combat - her Sea Dart brought down an Iraqi Silkworm.

The destroyer is powered by four Rolls-Royce gas turbines - two Olympus engines give her maximum speed of around 30 knots, while the two smaller Tynes are used for cruising.

Gloucester, which displaces 4,500 tons, has a ship's company of 250 and was launched by the Duchess of Gloucester.

(Ship of the Month in January 1995)

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