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The Epic Interactive Encyclopedia 1997
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1992-09-03
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Warship, an escort vessel smaller than a
destroyer. Before 1975 the term referred to a
warship larger than a destroyer but smaller
than a light cruiser. In the 18th and 19th
centuries a frigate was a small, fast sailing
warship. The frigate is the most numerous
type of larger surface vessel in the British
Royal Navy. Britain's type-23 frigate (1988)
is armoured, heavily armed (4.5 inch naval
gun, 32 Sea Wolf anti-missile and
anti-aircraft missiles, and a
surface-to-surface missile), and, for
locating submarines, has a large helicopter
and a hydrophone array towed astern. Engines
are diesel-electric up to 17 knots, with gas
turbines for spurts of speed to 28 knots.