HMS Salisbury ( F32 ) HMS " Salisbury " ( F32 ) was a " Salisbury " - class or Type 61 aircraft direction frigate of the British Royal Navy . Completed in the late 1950s , " Salisbury " served through the 1960s and 1970s , participating in the Beira Patrol , blockading against Rhodesia and the confrontation with Iceland over fishing rights that was known as the Cod Wars . " Salisbury " became a harbour training ship in 1980 , before being sunk as a target in 1985 . Design and construction . She was built at Devonport Dockyard , Plymouth as the lead ship of the class . " Salisbury " was laid down on 23 January 1952 , launched on 25 June 1953 , and completed on 27 February 1957 . The Type 61 class were aircraft direction frigates , fitted with a sophisticated battery of radar equipment which was intended to provide guide carrier and shore - based aircraft against aerial targets . They shared a common hull design with the Leopard class frigate s , and like the Leopards , were powered by eight Admiralty Standard Range diesel engines driving two shafts , giving a total of and propelling the ship to a speed of . Operational history . " Salisbury " joined the 5th Frigate Squadron on completion , serving in home water , in the Mediterranean and in the Far East until August 1961 . From 1961 to 1962 she was modernised with an improved radar suite , with Type 965 long - range radar fitted on a plated in Mack aft , replacing the previous Type 960 radar , and with the Type 293 target designation radar moved forward to a new foremast , while improved ESM equipment was also fitted . Following her refit , " Salisbury " again served in home waters and in the Far East . On 25 June 1964 , she sustained a collision with in the English Channel while returning from exercise . Attended opening of Forth Road Bridge by H . M . Queen . Far East ( Borneo Insurgency Xmas 1963 Ferrying Gurkhas into War Zone and supplying Naval manpower to patrol rivers in ship ' s boats ) and East Africa duties ( Socotra patrols ) on return to Far East . Found both propellers split - in floating dock Singapore for 30 days to fix . In 1967 she stood by during disturbances in the West Indies , being tasked to ferry the local police from St . Kitts and Nevis to the island of Anguilla where there was unrest . In the event the police forces failed to materialise and the ship landed her IS Platoon to restore order . Whilst returning from the West Indies she sank the abandoned German tanker " Essenberger Chemist " which was still afloat following an unsuccessful attempt by the nuclear submarine HMS " Dreadnought " . During 1967 – 70 " Salisbury " again underwent a major modernisation , with a launcher for Sea Cat surface - to - air missile s replacing the twin Bofors 40 mm gun mount aft . In 1975 she completed the last Beira Patrol . She undertook Cod War patrols in 1976 and was slightly damaged in a collision with the Icelandic gunboat " Týr " on 1 April 1976 , and was involved in two collisions with the " Ægir " on 20 May 1976 . In 1977 she was part of the 1st Frigate Squadron and took part in the Fleet Review to celebrate HM Queen Elizabeth II ' s Silver Jubilee . In 1978 she sailed to the Mediterranean Sea during negotiations for her sale to Egypt , but eventually returned to UK , the sale having fallen through . From 1980 - 85 she was a harbour training ship at Devonport , before being replaced in that role by . On 30 September 1985 , HMS " Salisbury " was towed out and sunk as a target .