HMS Somerset (F82) is a
Type 23 frigate of the
Royal Navy.
HMS
Somerset is the eleventh of the class to join the fleet since 1989. She was built by
Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd on the river
Clyde, in
Scotland and was launched in June 1994 by Lady Elspeth Layard, wife of then 2nd Sea Lord Admiral and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command Admiral Sir Michael Layard. She entered service in 1996. Lady Layard is the ship's sponsor.
The fourth HMS
Somerset to serve in the Royal Navy, she has four battle honours from
Vigo Bay (1702), Velez Malaga (1704),
Louisburg (1758) and
Quebec (1759). The previous ships all served during the 18th Century and ensured that the name HMS
Somerset played a significant part in that period of naval history.
HMS
Somerset's home port is
HMNB Devonport. The ship has the Freedom of the City of
Wells and is also affiliated with the County of
Somerset, the Worshipful Society of Apothecaries, the 2nd and 4th Battalions of The Rifles (inherited from affiliation with the
Royal Green Jackets Regiment), TS Weston and TS Queen Elizabeth Sea Cadet Units,
Downside, Baytree and Helles Schools, Bridgwater College and the Somerset Legion House of
The Royal British Legion. The
19th Duke of Somerset takes a keen interest in the ship and is a regular visitor, and the ship also hosted
Harry Patch,
Simon Weston (in place of
Johnson Beharry) and
Marcus Trescothick whilst docked at
Avonmouth for a remembrance service to launch the 2008 British Legion Poppy Appeal
.
In 2007, the first at-sea firing trials of the UK Royal Navy's (RN's) new DS30M 30 mm Automated Small Calibre Gun (ASCG) system were completed by HMS Somerset.
On 18 February 2009, Somerset sailed from Devonport as part of the Taurus 09 deployment under Commander UK Amphibious Task Group, Commodore Peter Hudson, She is joined on this deployment by Landing Platform Dock HMS Bulwark, as Hudson's flagship, Landing Platform Helicopter (LPH) HMS Ocean, Type 23 Frigate HMS Argyll and four ships of the Royal Fleet Auxiliary. Affiliations
