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HMS ''Somerset'' is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy. She is the eleventh ship of the class to join the fleet since 1989. She was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd on the River Clyde, in Scotland and was launched in June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard, wife of then 2nd Sea Lord Admiral and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command Admiral Sir Michael Layard. She entered service in 1996. Lady Layard is the ship's sponsor. She is named for the Dukedom of Somerset. The fourth ''Somerset'' to serve in the Royal Navy, and has inherited four battle honours from previous ships of the name; Vigo Bay (1702), Velez Malaga (1704), Louisburg (1758) and Quebec (1759). The previous ships all served during the 18th century and ensured that the name ''Somerset'' played a significant part in that period of naval history. ''Somerset''s home port is HMNB Devonport. The ship has the Freedom of the City of Wells and is also affiliated with the County of Somerset, the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, the 2nd and 4th Battalions of The Rifles (inherited from affiliation with the Royal Green Jackets), TS ''Weston'' and TS ''Queen Elizabeth'' Sea Cadet Units, Downside, Baytree and Helles Schools, Bridgwater College and the Somerset Legion House of The Royal British Legion. The 19th Duke of Somerset takes a keen interest in the ship and is a regular visitor, and the ship also hosted Harry Patch, Simon Weston (in place of Johnson Beharry) and Marcus Trescothick whilst docked at Avonmouth for a remembrance service to launch the 2008 British Legion Poppy Appeal. ==Operational history== In 2007, the first at-sea firing trials of the UK Royal Navy's new 30mm DS30M Mark 2 Automated Small Calibre Gun system were completed by ''Somerset''.〔(Scott, Richard, ''ASCG enhances Type 23 close-in defence'', International Defence Review, 30 October 2007. )〕 On 18 February 2009, ''Somerset'' sailed from Devonport as part of the Taurus 09 deployment under Commander UK Amphibious Task Group, Commodore Peter Hudson. She was joined on this deployment by landing platform dock ''Bulwark'', as Hudson's flagship, landing platform helicopter ''Ocean'', Type 23 frigate ''Argyll'' and four ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary.〔Royal Navy Website, http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/server/show/nav.7202〕 In June 2009, she took part in exercise Bersama Shield with ''Ocean'' and RFA ''Wave Ruler'' off the Malay Peninsula.〔http://www.navynews.co.uk/news/445-task-force-raises-its-shield.aspx〕 In May 2010 she sailed for Operation Telic conducted boarding operations and oil platform protection operations in the Persian Gulf. On 3 May 2012, she began a refit at the Devonport Royal Dockyard operated by the Babcock International Group. The refit was expected to take 9 months. She took part in Exercise Joint Warrior 2013.〔http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/News-and-Events/Latest-News/2013/October/02/131002-joint-warrior〕 In January 2015, HMS ''Somerset'' took part in the search for the crew of the Cyprus-registered cement carrier , which had capsized in the Pentland Firth.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Missing crew search suspended )〕 On April 23, 2015, with the Border Force cutter ''Valiant'', she intercepted the Tanzanian-registered tug Hamal in the North Sea about 100 miles off Aberdeen, leading to the seizure of more than three tons of cocaine, believed to be the single largest seizure of a Class A drug in the UK.〔http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-north-east-orkney-shetland-32533478〕 It was announced that she would provide security for the 2015 CHOHM along with HMS Bulwark.〔http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/news/national/59675/maltas_border_controls_to_remain_in_place_until_end_of_year#.Vllt-nYrLDf〕 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 Somerset (F82)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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