HMS Ardent (F184)

	HMS Ardent
History
United Kingdom
Name	HMS Ardent
Operator	Royal Navy
Ordered	17 April 1973
Builder	Yarrow Shipbuilders
Laid down	26 February 1974
Launched	9 May 1975
Commissioned	13 October 1977
Homeport	HMNB Devonport
Identification	Pennant number: F184
Motto	Through fire and water
Fate	Sunk by Argentine aircraft on 22 May 1982
General characteristics
Class and type	Type 21 frigate
Displacement	3,250 tons full load
Length	384 ft (117 m)
Beam	41 ft 9 in (12.73 m)
Draught	19 ft 6 in (5.94 m)
Propulsion	COGOG:; 2 × Rolls-Royce Olympus gas turbines; 2 × Rolls-Royce Tyne RM1A gas turbines for cruising;
Speed	32 knots (59 km/h; 37 mph)
Range	4,000 nautical miles at 17 knots (7,400 km at 31 km/h); 1,200 nautical miles at 30 knots (2,220 km at 56 km/h);
Complement	177
Armament	1 × 4.5-inch (114 mm) Mark 8 naval gun; 2 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon; 4 × MM38 Exocet missiles; 1 × quadruple Sea Cat SAMs; 2 × triple ASW torpedo tubes; 2 × Corvus chaff launchers; 1 × Type 182 towed decoy;
Aircraft carried	1 × Westland Wasp helicopter, later refitted for 1 × Lynx

HMS Ardent was a Royal Navy Type 21 frigate. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland.^[1] She was completed with Exocet launchers in 'B' position.^[2] Ardent took part in the Falklands War, where she was sunk by Argentine aircraft in the Falkland Sound on 21 May 1982.^[3]

^ Higgitt 2001, p. 48.
^ Fitzsimons, Edward: The Illustrated encyclopedia of 20th century weapons and warfare. Purnell Reference Books, 1979. V. 1, page 92
^ Higgitt 2001, p. 52.