A sad end for HMS Active, which survived Falklands War battles, only to be used as target practice and sunk in Pakistan navy drill
- HMS Active is a Type 21 frigate which was transferred to Pakistan in 1994
- The frigate was sunk during a Pakistan navy drill in the North Arabian Sea
- Type-21 Class frigate was built in Southampton and survived the Falklands War
HMS Active, a frigate which survived the Falklands War, has met its end during a Pakistan navy drill.
HMS Active is a Type 21 frigate which was transferred to Pakistan in 1994 and recommissioned as the PNS Shah Jahan.
The ship was expended as a target by the Pakistan Navy in the North Arabian Sea earlier this month as part of a live-fire drill.
HMS Active, a frigate which survived the Falklands War, has met its end during a Pakistan navy drill
HMS Active is a Type 21 frigate which was transferred to Pakistan in 1994 and recommissioned as the PNS Shah Jahan
The ship was expended as a target by the Pakistan Navy in the North Arabian Sea earlier this month as part of a live-fire drill
The navy drill on January 12 saw the Pakistan Navy Fleet firing live weapons, with the frigate among the targets that were destroyed with anti-ship missiles and torpedoes.
Video of the military exercise shows a missile being launched by the Pakistani Navy fleet which flies across the North Arabian Sea.
It hits the frigate which subsequently breaks in half from the impact.
In a statement, the Pakistan Navy said: ‘In an impressive fire power display, #PakNavy demonstrated combat readiness & War Fighting capabilities through Live Weapon Firing at North Arabian Sea.
‘Missiles & Torpedoes launched from #PakNavy Submarines successfully engaged intended targets.’
The Navy Lookout tweeted: ‘Pakistani Navy has destroyed PNS Shah Jahan during SINKEX in the Arabian sea.
‘Type 21 frigate, ex-HMS Active transferred to Pakistan 1994.’
HMS Active was commissioned in July 1977 and went on to participate in the Falklands War, departing on May 10, 1982.
Following its service in the Falklands War, Active was decommission in September 1994.
It was sold to Pakistan the same month and renamed the Shah Jahan.
The Royal Navy’s HMS Active
HMS Active served as a general purpose frigate in the Royal Navy.
The Type-21 Class frigate was built in Southampton, launched in 1972 and commissioned in July 1977.
Active participated in the Falklands War with Argentina, forming part of the main British fleet. The frigate set out from HMNB Devonport on May 10, 1982.
The ship was used to escort supply convoys and carry out shore bombardment missions at night.
HMS Active served as a general purpose frigate in the Royal Navy
On the night of June 13, 1982, HMS Active shelled on Argentine positions during the Battle of Mount Tumbledown.
By the mid-1980s, in common with the other surviving Type 21s, HMS Active suffered from hull cracking.
When the ship was next refitted steel plating was welded along each side of the ship to repair and reinforce the weak points.
Following its service in the Falklands War, Active was decommissioned in September 1994 . It was sold to Pakistan the same month and renamed the Shah Jahan.
From 1998–2008, the ship underwent extensive modernisation at the Naval Base Karachi and was reclassified as guided missile destroyer.
Her wartime performance included in deployments in patrolling off the Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Persian Gulf, and Arabian Sea.
PNS Shah Jahan was sunk as a target by the Pakistan Navy on January 12.