HMS Rothesay was the lead ship of the Rothesay (Type 12M) class of anti-submarine frigates of the British Royal Navy, commissioned in 1960 and decommissioned in 1988. The vessel measured 370 feet (112.78 meters) in overall length, with a beam of 41 feet (12.50 meters) and a draught of 13 feet 6 inches (4.11 meters). She was powered by Y-100 machinery, comprising two Babcock & Wilcox water-tube boilers feeding steam at 550 psi and 850°F to two geared steam turbines, which drove two large, slow-turning propellers. These engines produced 30,000 shaft horsepower, enabling the ship to reach speeds of approximately 29.5 knots. The ship’s crew numbered around 212 officers and men. Rothesay’s armament included a twin 4.5-inch (113 mm) Mark 6 gun mount at the bow, with 350 rounds of ammunition. Originally intended to be equipped with a twin 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft mount aft, she was instead fitted with a twin 40 mm Bofors mount temporarily, while plans to install Seacat missile systems were made. Her anti-submarine weaponry consisted of twelve 21-inch torpedo tubes for Mark 20E Bidder homing torpedoes and two Limbo anti-submarine mortars; however, the torpedo tubes were soon removed due to the ineffectiveness of Bidder torpedoes against modern submarines. Throughout her career, Rothesay underwent significant modernization between 1966 and 1968, including the addition of a hangar and flight deck for a Westland Wasp helicopter, a Seacat missile launcher, updated radar and fire control systems, and enhanced defensive measures like the Corvus chaff rocket dispenser. She also participated in notable operations, such as the rescue of Haitian refugees in 1966 and a key role during the Cold War, including fishery protection patrols and the 1977 Silver Jubilee Fleet Review. During the Falklands War, she was stationed in the Caribbean, though she was undergoing repairs at the war’s outset. After over 800,000 miles of service, HMS Rothesay was sold to Spain and scrapped in Santander in 1988.

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