Royal Navy ships HMS Southampton and RFA Gold Rover arrive in Cape Town

Nov 07, 2007
Author: P&S

Two British naval ships arrived in Cape Town this week. The type 42 destroyer HMS Southampton, and RFA Gold Rover, a fleet auxiliary boiler, docked on Monday for a short visit.

HMS Southampton is one of four type 42 batch 2 air defence destroyers in the Royal Navy, the others being HMS Exeter, HMS Nottingham and HMS Liverpool. The ship displaces 4,250 tons fully loaded and is 125m in length with a beam of 14.3m. Her armaments include missiles, torpedoes, a 114mm gun, several smaller guns and a Sea Lynx helicopter. The ship has a speed in the region of 30 knots.

RFA Gold Rover is one of three small fleet oilers in the Royal Navy, displacing 11,500 tons loaded and carries a civilian crew of 47.