Description:
Type 42 or T42 class destroyers were designed to provide air defense to the Royal Navy's surface fleet. To do that T42 destroyers were equipped with computer, sophisticated radar sensors and SeaDart medium range surface-to-air missile which also provides a limited anti-ship capability. From 1975 through 1985 the Royal Navy commissioned 14 of these ships in three batches featuring varying displacement and minor performance differences.
Six T42 Batch 1 vessels (D80, D86, D87, D88, D108 and D118) were commissioned by the Royal Navy between 1975 and 1979. Two Batch 1 destroyers were lost in combat during the Falklands in 1982. Four Batch 2 (D89, D90, D91 and D92) between 1980 and 1983. Four Batch 3 (D95, D96, D97 and D98) commissioned from 1982 through 1985. In the early 1970s Argentina agreed to built two Type 42 destroyers one in the United Kingdom and the other in Argentina.
The COGOG propulsion system consists of two Rolls Royce Olympus gas turbines providing 54,400-shp and two Tyne gas turbines delivering 8,500-shp for cruise speed. The weapon system comprises a Vickers 114mm 55-caliber naval gun, two Mk 15 Phalanx CIWS, two/four 20mm guns, torpedo tubes, 22 Sea Dart SAM missiles and a Lynx helicopter which may be armed with Sea Skua anti-ship missiles. The Argentinean vessels were equipped with four MM38 Exocet missiles and AS555 Fennec helicopter in lieu of Lynx.
Currently, Santisima Trinidad was retired from service and Hercules remains in service in attendance of her replacement. The Royal Navy plans call for Type 45 destroyers replacing eight Type 42 Batch 2 and Batch 3 destroyers by 2014.
Specifications Accommodation: Crew 301
Guns: Main Gun Caliber 114 mm
Dimensions: Length 141 m, Width 14.9 m
Weights: Max Weight 4,775 t
Performance: Cruise Speed 9 mps (18 kt), Max Range 7,400 km (3,996 nm), Top Speed 15 mps (29 kt)
Argentina / 2 
United Kingdom / 14 
Not operational since October 2008
Not operational since October 2008
