Frigate Described To Navy League

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31771, 30 August 1968, Page 12

Frigate Described To Navy League

The greater the interest a province or a city took in a ship named after it the better the morale in the ship, Captain E. C. Thorne told the Canterbury branch of the Navy League last evening.

Captain Thorne, a former! commander of H.M.N.Z.S.! Waikato, and a former Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, spoke to the branch's annual meeting on the new Leander-class frigate H.M.N.Z.S. Canterbury. The contract for the Canterbury was placed about two weeks ago, and the vessel is scheduled for completion in October, 1971.

The Canterbury’s main role would be an anti-submarine one. It had to be designed to fit in with allied navies and must be able to operate many miles from its home shores. However, Captain Thorne said, the Canterbury would also have anti-aircraft and anti-surface vessel armament, and would be designed for her peace-time role of deterrence and possible mercy, air-sea rescue and natural disaster work.

The vessel’s high bow meant it would be able to maintain high speeds in heavy weather. Although the Canterbury would be 2ft wider than other Leanderclass frigates, this would not affect her speed or manoeuvrability. Her gunnery system was designed to get the first shot in first, and on target. The Seacat missiles were for use against aircraft, and the helicopter would carry antisubmarine torpedoes. The vessel also had antisubmarine mortars.

The ship would be designed on the “airtight citadel” principle so it could be sealed and sail safely through nuclear fall-out or a gas attack. The boiler-room could be controlled from a remotecontrol centre in such a case. This remote-control room was a feature that the other Leander-class frigates did not have.