HMS London (F95) was a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy, originally named Bloodhound before being renamed London at the request of the Lord Mayor of London. The vessel served as a significant asset within the Royal Navy and notably acted as the flagship of the task force during the 1991 Gulf War, highlighting its importance in maritime combat operations of the period. Constructed as part of the Type 22 class, HMS London was equipped with a modest armament configuration prior to its decommissioning. When prepared for transfer to the Romanian Navy, the ship had its Sea Wolf and Exocet missile systems removed, leaving it with only two 30 mm BMARC cannons and two three-tube anti-submarine torpedo launchers. The ship was subsequently fitted with a 76 mm OTO-Melara gun system forward, replacing the missile systems, but no additional missile armament was installed during its transfer. HMS London was decommissioned from the Royal Navy on 14 January 1999 and sold to Romania exactly four years later, on 14 January 2003. It was commissioned into the Romanian Naval Forces as Regina Maria on 21 April 2005. Since entering Romanian service, the vessel has undergone modernization efforts, including collaboration with the Romanian COMOTI institute to replace two of its Rolls-Royce gas turbines with two ST40M turbine engines, indicating ongoing efforts to enhance its operational capabilities. Throughout its service life, notable commanding officers included Iain Henderson (1990-1991), Mark Stanhope (1991-1992), and Timothy McClement (1992-1994). The ship's transfer and subsequent modifications reflect its enduring maritime significance and adaptability across different naval forces, transitioning from a flagship in the Gulf War to a key asset within the Romanian Naval Forces.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.