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HMS ''Apollo'' was a batch 3B broadbeam of the Royal Navy. She was, like the rest of the class, named after a figure of mythology. ''Apollo'' was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders of Scotstoun. She was launched on 15 October 1970 and commissioned on 28 May 1972, making her the penultimate ''Leander''. Both ''Apollo'' and ''Ariadne'' are easily distinguished from the other ''Leander''s by their 'witches hat' - fitted to the top of the foremast as a part of the electronic warfare array. ==Royal Navy Service== ''Apollo'' was fitted out as a general purpose frigate. Her armaments were: 2 × 4.5 inch (114mm) Vickers 45 Mk6 naval guns mounted in a single twin turret with MRS3/Plessey Type 904 gunnery control system; quadruple Seacat missile launcher platform with GWS22 guidance system; Mk10 anti-submarine triple barrel mortar tubes (auto-load, 92 kg warhead); Westland Wasp helicopter and two 20mm Oerlikon heavy machine guns. She saw her first 'action' during the Second Cod War in 1973, during the fishing disputes with Iceland, when ''Apollo'', while on a fishery protection patrol, was rammed by the Icelandic gunboat V/s ''Ægir''on 29 August 1973. In January 1977 the UK extended its territorial waters from 12 miles to 200 miles to create an exclusive economic zone for fishery rights. ''Apollo'' took turns with other frigates to police the North Sea pending the introduction into service of the Island-class fishery protection vessels. This short action was termed 'The Herring War'. In 1977, ''Apollo'' took part in the last Fleet Review of the Royal Navy so far, in celebration of HM the Queen's Silver Jubilee. As captain of the Second Frigate Squadron, ''Apollo'' was responsible for anchorages of all warships at the Royal Fleet Review. In recognition of this work, the admiralty awarded the ship four rather than two 1977 QEII Silver Jubilee Medals. ''Apollo'' was positioned in the middle of HM ships ''Hardy'' and ''Salisbury''.〔Official Souvenir Programme, 1977. ''Silver Jubilee Fleet Review'', HMSO〕 ''Apollo'' was intended to be modernised, which would have included the removal of her one 4.5-inch twin gun, which would have been replaced by the Exocet anti-ship missile, but the modernisation was cancelled due to the 1981 Defence Review by the minister John Nott. In July 1982, ''Apollo'' was sent to patrol the South Atlantic in the aftermath of the Falklands War and returned home in September. In late 1983 ''Apollo'' once again returned to the South Atlantic. On this occasion ''Apollo'' encountered heavy seas in the South Atlantic that damaged her hull. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「HMS Apollo (F70)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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