William.

This is coolbert:

"how the world has changed" - - Bert.

Another member of the British royal family is doing his bit for GOD and Queen. Prince William.

An eight week stint of service aboard the British naval vessel, HMS Iron Duke.

"William's Navy posting revealed"

"HMS Iron Duke (F234) is a Type 23 frigate of the Royal Navy, and the third ship to bear the name. Iron Duke was launched on 2 March 1991"



A frigate carrying considerable firepower? To include:

* 2 × ASuW Harpoon quad launchers
* Vertical launch system Sea Wolf missiles
* 1 × BAE 4.5 inch (110 mm) Mk 8 gun
* 2 × Oerlikon 30 mm guns
* 4 × Sting Ray torpedo tubes
* Aircraft carried: 1 × Lynx HMA8 [helicopter]

"The frigate patrols waters around British overseas territories in the Caribbean, and is involved in operations to catch drug smugglers."

"the third ship to bear the name".

In the long and illustrious history of the British Navy, is the third ship to bear the name "Iron Duke". In honor of Arthur Wellesley, the Duke of Wellington.

The two previous named vessels being RADICALLY DIFFERENT IN DESIGN from the current frigate the Prince will serve aboard.

Ships of the line, designed to carry and employ in combat massive gunfire. Ships best deemed BATTLESHIPS!!

(1) "The first HMS Iron Duke was an iron Audacious-class central battery ironclad."

"She became the flagship of the China Station on 31 August 1871"

A ship formidably armed:

* 10 × 12 ton, 9 inch (229 mm) RML guns
* 4 × 6 in (152 mm), 64 pounder (29 kg) [the "shell" weighed 64 pounds!]
* 6 × 20 pounder (9 kg) guns
* Ram [a ram, yes, a ram!! Ramming as a means of naval warfare was still vogue in 1871!!]

(2) The second "Iron Duke" - - "HMS Iron Duke was a battleship of the Royal Navy, the lead ship of her class . . . She served as the flagship of the Grand Fleet during World War I, including at the Battle of Jutland."



"Iron Duke was launched on 12 October 1912 at Portsmouth, England, the first of her class."

Even more formidably armed then her predecessor:

* 10 × 13.5 inch/45 guns in five twin turrets
* 12 × 6 inch/45 guns in single casemate mountings
* 2 × 3 inch/20 anti-aircraft guns
* 4 × 21 inch submerged beam torpedo tubes

At the time [1912] the second Iron Duke was the MOST ADVANCED AND DEADLY naval vessel in the world? NOTHING else compared to it anywhere? Especially with regard to naval gunfire.

Well, the current "Iron Duke" DOES have one gun, a 4.5 inch [110mm] turret mounted piece. NOT designed to be a match to a battleship. Mission is so much different. Naval vessels of the modern era are NOT armored [would be cost prohibitive] and fire missiles rather than engage in battle in the traditional sense [gunfire broadside against opposing naval broadside!]!

Just to build a naval war craft equal to the second Iron Duke would bankrupt the British government? AND NO NEED FOR IT ANYMORE!! Those enormous navies of pelagic water fleets are gone FOREVER!

coolbert.