HMS Exmouth was a Royal Navy anti-submarine warfare frigate of the Blackwood (Type 14) class, launched in 1955 and commissioned in 1957. As a second-rate frigate, she was designed primarily for anti-submarine operations, featuring a streamlined and functional hull typical of her class. Notably, she underwent a significant refit in 1966, which replaced her original steam boilers and turbine propulsion system with an experimental gas turbine arrangement, marking her as the first major British warship to be powered entirely by gas turbines. This transformation involved installing a combined gas or gas (COGOG) propulsion system, featuring a Bristol Siddeley Olympus TM1 turbine capable of producing 24,000 shp (though limited to 15,000 shp due to gearbox constraints), along with two Bristol Siddeley Proteus 10M engines producing 3,500 shp each for fuel-efficient cruising. These engines drove a single shaft via a common gearbox, with the Proteus engines capable of operating independently but not simultaneously with the Olympus. The installation necessitated a distinctive appearance change, with grouped air intakes, filters amidships, and a streamlined funnel for exhaust and intake, facilitating rapid engine removal and exchange. After rejoining the fleet in June 1968, HMS Exmouth conducted extended trials during the 1970s to validate all-gas turbine propulsion, including operations in the Mediterranean. Her testing demonstrated the feasibility and operational advantages of gas turbine power, including quick start-up times suitable for stop/start scenarios. The vessel also served notable roles, such as acting as a plane guard for the aircraft carrier Ark Royal and participating in search operations following a Russian destroyer incident. HMS Exmouth's successful trials influenced the adoption of gas turbine propulsion in other Royal Navy ships, including the Type 42 destroyers and Type 22 frigates, and her COGOG arrangement became a widely emulated design. She was decommissioned and broken up in 1979, closing a significant chapter in naval propulsion experimentation and anti-submarine warfare capabilities.

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