Warship prepares for four-day visit to city

THE Royal Navy warship HMS Iron Duke will be renewing its links with Hull in a four-day visit.

The Type 23 frigate, which made a record-breaking drug seizure in the North Atlantic last autumn, will be docked in King George Dock from Sunday.

Lord Mayor of Hull and Admiral of the Humber, Coun Karen Woods, will go on board the 4,500-tonne warship as she approaches the Humber.

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During the visit Commanding Officer, Commander Andrew Stacey, will host visits by members of local organisations, including sea cadet units.

This year, the Marine Society and Sea Cadet Association celebrate their 150th anniversary.

On Tuesday evening, Iron Duke will host a formal reception for local dignitaries and invited guests before the ship, which has been taking part in exercises off the West Coast of Scotland, leaves Hull for its Portsmouth base early on Wednesday morning.

Last September the frigate took part in the Royal Navy's largest ever seizure of cocaine.

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In a night-time operation her Lynx helicopter and sea boats were used to seize 5.5 tonnes of the drug aboard a converted fishing vessel off South America.

United States Coast Guard stormed the vessel which was later destroyed by the Iron Duke.

The Type 23 frigate is now a mainstay of the Navy's modern surface fleet.

Originally designed principally to wage anti-submarine warfare, they have evolved into multi-purpose ships with the capability to operate anywhere in the world.

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The ships' "stealth" design reduces their chance of being picked up on radar.

The current Iron Duke is the third Royal Navy ship to bear the name. She carries 185 crew and is armed with weapons including Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Stingray torpedoes and a 4.5in Mk 8 gun for shore bombardment.

Launched on March 2 1991 by the ship's sponsor, Lady Jane King, the wife of the-then Secretary of State for Defence, Tom King, Iron Duke was commissioned on May 30 1991.

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