WORLD OF WARSHIPS HMS MATAPAN 2 GROUP BATTLE CLASS FLEET DESTROYER converted sonar trials ship

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HMS Matapan (D43) was a Battle class destroyer of the Royal Navy (RN). She was named after the Battle of Cape Matapan between the Royal Navy and the Regia Marina, which ended in a decisive victory for the RN force, resulting in the destruction of three cruisers and two destroyers of the Italian Navy and was a heavy blow to the Italians. So far, she has been the only ship of the Royal Navy to bear that name.
She was placed in reserve on completion of her sea trials and would remain in such a state for a lengthy period of time, ultimately seeing service in the 1970s as a sonar trials ship. In the process she outlived all her fleet mates in Royal Navy service.
Matapan was built by John Brown & Company. She was launched on 30 April 1945 and finally completed on 5 September 1947.
The ship undertook her builders and acceptance sea trials over a period of two weeks, during which she steamed for a total of 150 hours, arriving at Chatham on 22 September, where she was de-stored. Matapan was initially laid up in Gillingham Reach on the River Medway from 28 October 1947 and was subsequently towed to Devonport on 20 July 1948, where she was prepared for preservation in long-term reserve. She was to remain moored in the River Tamar for the next 20 years.
In 1961 Matapan was first earmarked for conversion to a sonar trials ship, to replace Verulam. It appears that lack of money to pay for the necessary work, may be the reason why this was delayed for so long.
Advances in Soviet nuclear submarine performance during the 1960s rendered the existing NATO sonar equipment, which were based on analogue technology of World War II origin and had limited range, obsolescent.

Displacement
2,480 tons standard
3,835 tons post 1973 conversion
Length
379 ft (116 m)
Beam
40 ft 6 in (12.34 m)
Draught
12 ft 8 in (3.86 m) mean,
17 ft 6 in (5.33 m) max
increasing to 22 ft 0 in (6.71 m) post 1973 conversion
Propulsion
Oil-fired, two three-drum boilers
Parsons geared turbines, twin screws
50,000 hp (37,285 kW)
Speed
35.75 knots (66.21 km/h)
Complement
268
Sensors and
processing systems
Post 1973 conversion
Type 978 surface search & navigation radar
Type 944M(2) IFF Interrogation antenna
Type 2016 active/passive search & track hull sonar



Type 162M active bottom profiler sonar
Flight deck aft Westland Wasp no hangar facilities
Armament all removed