New life for Dukes

摘要

HMS Argyll, the Royal Navy's oldest frigate, is the first Type 23 to undergo the Life Extension (LIFEX) Upkeep programme, intended to extend the life of the hull and superstructure of the remaining 13 ships to well beyond their original 18-year design life. The project will also help to de-risk the future transition into service of the Type 26 Global Combat Ship. In addition to extensive hull and superstructure preservation work involving the superstructure being blasted back to bare metal, repaired and repainted, Argyll will become the first of class to receive the Future Local Area Air Defence System (FLAADS) with Sea Ceptor missiles replacing Seawolf as the ship's primary weapon system. The new Common Anti- Air Modular Missile has more than twice the range of the system that it replaces, and, due to its slim design, four missiles occupy the space taken by a single Seawolf.