UK Ministry of Defence,
A further four years of operational service are ahead for HMS LIVERPOOL after a £6M contract for her upkeep was awarded to BVT Surface Fleet.
The Type 42 destroyer has docked in Portsmouth for a maintenance programme of up to 10 months which will ensure that she is able to continue to deliver her operational role as one of the Royal Navy's Air Defence Destroyers.
Defence Equipment and Support's Director of Capital Ships, Tony Graham said:
“This upkeep will add two years to the life of HMS Liverpool, enabling her to continue providing crucial capabilities to the Front Line. We have worked closely with BVT to agree the scope of this work package under the Surface Ship Support programme, helping us to deliver the capabilities the Front Line needs.”
As well as routine maintenance, the ship will be fitted with a new Transom Flap for greater fuel efficiency and work to the Reverse Osmosis plant will improve fresh water production. Safety and certification work meanwhile will ensure compliance with the latest legislation and enable her continued service until 2012.
HMS Liverpool has seen plenty of action in her 26 years and has recently returned from a seven month long deployment in the South Atlantic. The overhauled ship will be returned to the fleet in winter 2009 to resume her duties, ready for tasking across the full spectrum of operations from air defence to humanitarian assistance.
