Monday, 16th November 2009 - 09:39CET

RN frigate in harbour

The Royal Navy frigate HMS Kent is in Grand Harbour on a short visit.

She arrived late yesterday afternoon while on her way home to the UK after anti-piracy operations in the Arabian Gulf. The ship left her home port of Portsmouth on on June 1.

HMS Kent is the twelfth ship to bear the name and the Royal Navy’s fourteenth Type 23 'Duke Class' frigate. She was built at Yarrows Shipyard in Glasgow by BAE Systems and Launched by Princess Alexandra on May 28, 1998. She was accepted into service on 09 Feb 2000.

Duke class frigates now form the backbone of the Royal Navy. They are equipped with Harpoon anti ship missiles, Sea Wolf anti-missile systems and a 4.5in (114mm) MK 8 gun as well as a helicopter armed with a variety of weapons including torpedoes.

Picture: Philip Grech.