HMS Avenger was a Type 21 frigate of the Royal Navy, constructed by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd in Glasgow, Scotland. She was equipped with Exocet missile launchers positioned in the 'B' configuration, and featured Rolls-Royce Olympus turbines that enabled her to reach high speeds, averaging around 28 knots. Due to her speed and agility, the Type 21 class earned the nickname "Boy Racers." Commissioned into service, Avenger became the leader of the 4th Frigate Squadron in 1981 under Captain Hugo White. Her most notable deployment was during the Falklands War in 1982, where she arrived in the South Atlantic on 25 May after departing the UK on 10 May, making it the fastest transit of any vessel in the conflict at 14 days. During the campaign, she played a vital role, surviving an Exocet missile attack aimed at the aircraft carrier HMS Invincible on 30 May. Her crew also recovered a 20 mm Oerlikon gun from the wreck of HMS Antelope, which was mounted aboard her as "Antelope's Avenger" to bolster her anti-aircraft defenses. On 11 June, she provided naval gunfire support around Port Stanley, during which she inadvertently struck a civilian shelter, resulting in the deaths of three Falkland Islanders and injuries to others—these being the only British civilian casualties in the war. Throughout her Falklands deployment, Avenger suffered from a developing hull crack worsened by stormy conditions. After returning to the UK, she underwent refitting, including welding steel plates along her sides and modifications to reduce hull noise. In 1983, Avenger participated in the 'Armilla' patrol in the Persian Gulf. During this deployment, her commanding officer, Captain Peter Woodhead, was involved in a helicopter crash off Muscat, Oman, when a Westland Lynx helicopter he was returning from suffered a tail rotor failure. The helicopter and the crew, including Woodhead, survived the incident, with the captain sustaining a minor back injury. Decommissioned on 23 September 1994, HMS Avenger was sold to Pakistan and renamed Tippu Sultan. She served in the Pakistan Navy until her final use as a target on 27 April 2020, marking the end of her maritime service.

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