17.5.10

NATO (SNMG2) frees Pirates



Standing NATO Maritime Group 2 (SNMG2)
HMS CHATHAM’s Lynx helicopter spotted a larger vessel towing the 2 attack boats, approximately 150 miles off the coast of Tanzania.
After monitoring the vessel through the night, at dawn, in a well planned operation, the pirates were forced to surrender by the overwhelming force posed by HMS CHATHAM, her Lynx helicopter and fast boats containing the Ship’s Royal Marine (RM) detachment. 10 Somalis were left with only enough fuel in the larger vessel to return to Somalia.


HMS Chatham is the last of four Type 22, Batch 3 frigates and was built on the Tyne by Swan Hunters Shipbuilders Ltd. She was launched in January 1988 by Lady Roni Oswald and commissioned into service in the Royal Navy in 1990.
Class and type: Type 22 frigate
Displacement: 5,300 tons
Length: 148.1 m (486 ft 9 in)
Beam: 14.8 m (48 ft 6 in)
Draught: 6.4 m (21 ft)
Propulsion: 2 × Rolls-Royce Spey gas turbines (high speed)
2 × Rolls Royce Tyne gas turbines (cruising)
2 shafts driving variable pitch propellers with COGAG (Combined gas and gas) gearbox, allowing all four engines to provide power to the drive train.
Speed: 18 knots (33 km/h) cruise
30 knots (56 km/h) maximum
Complement: 250 (max. 301)
Armament:

[2]

* 2 x Sea Wolf anti air system (Total of 72 Sea Wolf missiles)
* 2 × Quad Harpoon missile launchers (total of 8 Harpoons)
* 2 x triple Magazine launched anti-submarine torpedo tubes (total of 36 torpedoes)
* 1 x 4.5 inch (114 mm) Mk.8 gun
* 2 × 20 mm GAM-BO1 guns
* 2 x Goalkeeper CIWS
* NATO Seagnat Decoy Launchers

Aircraft carried:

2 x Lynx Mk.8 helicopters (but only 1 Lynx in peace time). Armed with

* 4 x Sea Skua anti-ships missiles
* 2 x Sting Ray anti-submarine torpedoes
* 2 x Mk 11 depth charges
* 2 x Machine guns

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