HMAS Derwent (F-22/DE-49)

http://www.navy.gov.au/gallery/images/NIUW_HIST_0008_001.jpg Photo of HMAS Derwent
Career Australia	<tr valign=top><td>Builder:</td><td>Williamstown Naval Dockyard</td></tr>
Laid down:	17 June 1959
Launched:	8 April 1961 <tr valign=top><td>Commissioned:</td><td>23 April 1964</td></tr><tr valign=top><td>Decommissioned:</td><td>8 August 1994</td></tr>
Status:	Sunk as Dive Wreck <tr valign=top><td>Homeport:</td><td>Originaly homeported in Sydney but with the division of the fleet into the Eastern and Western fleets, was transferred to Fleet Base West, HMAS Stirling, Garden Island, Western Australia.</td></tr>
General Characteristics
Displacement:	2,560 tons
Length:	113m
Beam:	12.49m <tr valign=top><td>Draught:</td><td>5.18m</td></tr><tr valign=top><td>Propulsion:</td><td>2 x English Electric steam turbines 2 shaft; 30,000shp</td></tr>
Speed:	31.9 knots
Complement:	250 <tr valign=top><td>Sensors and processing systems:</td><td>1979: Mulloka sonar system SPS-55 surface-search/navigation radarLW-02 early warning radar M22 fire control radar</td></tr><tr valign=top><td>Armament:</td><td>2x 4.5in Mk6 gun 2x Limbo Mk10 AS mortar re-fitted 1x quad Seacat SAM launcher 1x Ikara ASW system 2x Mark 32 torpedo tubes - 1979</td></tr><tr valign=top><td>Motto:</td><td>Swift and Deadly</td></tr><tr valign=top><td>Badge:</td><td>http://www.navy.gov.au/badges/crest_derwent.gif</td></tr>

HMAS Derwent was a River class destroyer escort, laid down by the Williamstown Naval Dockyard at Melbourne in Victoria on 17 June 1959, launched on 17 April 1961 and commissioned on 23 April, 1964. HMAS Derwent paid off on 8 August, 1994, and was sunk after being used for trials off Western Australia.

Trivia

• Named after the Derwent River, Hobart, Tasmania

• 4.5 in (114 mm) gun: This gun is a Vickers 4.5 inch (114 mm)/45 Mk 6 gun turret, which was capable of firing 20 rounds per barrel per minute to a range of 10 kilometres.

• HMAS Derwent holds the distinction of being the first RAN ship to launch a guided missile when she fired a Seacat missile on May 25, 1964.

• During 1991-92 the Seacat and Ikara launchers were removed and Derwent was used primarily as a training ship.

• Prior to Australian ships deploying to the Persian Gulf, Derwent conducted trials in launching the, normally shoulder-launched, RBS-70 Surface to Air Missile from a naval platform.

• Decommissioned at HMAS Stirling on August 8, 1994 after 30 years' service, HMAS Derwent steamed 890,927 nautical miles (1,649,997 km) during her naval career, following scientific tests to study ship survivability.

• Derwent was sunk in deep waters, 15 nautical miles (28 km) west of Rottnest Island as a "fish attraction device" on December 21, 1994.

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