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Photography by Action Asia Photo
© 2002-8 Action Asia Photo - All Rights Reserved
www.actionasiaphoto.com
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The Oliver Hazard Perry Class Frigates were designed in the 1970s as cost-effective general-purpose escort vessels capable of meeting most tasks adequately and were built in large numbers to replace aging World War II era destroyers.

Although costs rose dramatically over the production run, all 52 ships planned for the USN were eventually built. Some Perry Class vessels are slated to remain in USN service for years more but many have been decommissioned. Some of the decommissioned ships have been transferred to foreign countries including Bahrain, Egypt, Poland and Turkey.

The ships were produced in 445 foot "short-hull" (Flight I) and 453 foot "long-hull" (Flight III) variants. The long-hull ships (FFG 8, 28, 29, 32, 33, 36-61) carry the more capable SH-60 Seahawk LAMPS III helicopters, while the short-hull units carry the SH-2 Seasprite. The principal difference between the long and short hull versions is the relocation of the aft capstan on the long hull version to a step below the level of the flight deck in order to accommodate the tail rotor of the longer Seahawk Helicopter. FFG 8, 29, 32, and 33 were built as short-hull ships but were later modified into long-hull ships.

United States yards constructed Perry Class ships for the United States and Australia. Early US-built Australian ships were originally of the short-hull type and modified in the 1980s to the long-hull standard. Yards in Australia, Spain, and Taiwan have produced variants of the long-hull design for their navies. Production continues in Taiwan (Cheng Kung Class). The Australia variants are of the Adelaide Class while the Spanish ships are of the Santa Maria Class.

The addition LAMPS helicopters and the Tactical Towed Array System (TACTAS) has given these ships a combat capability far beyond the original expectations and has made the ships an integral and valued asset in virtually any scenario and particularly well suited for littoral operations.

Many Perry Class guided missile frigates will remain in the USN fleet well into the next decade with the most capable ships being retained the longest. The primary mission of the ships will remain anti-submarine warfare and escort.