Rothesay-class frigate

The Rothesay class, or Type 12M frigates, was a class of frigates built for the Royal Navy, with ships also serving in the South African Navy as the President class. It was the repeat and improved form of the Type 12 Whitby design, with M standing for modified, and twelve vessels were built, the lead ship being laid down in 1956. The Type 12M kept the Type 12 hull, which held a high cruising speed in heavy seas, and added an enlarged raked funnel, a changed after deckhouse to carry the Seacat anti-aircraft missile launcher and better electrical power and accommodation. In the late 1960s and early 1970s all of the ships were rebuilt with a small flight deck and hangar for the Wasp helicopter. Yarrow was involved in designing and building the class, and Navypedia lists three of the Royal Navy ships as built at its Scotstoun yard. The class paid off throughout the 1980s, with Rothesay herself paying off in 1988, and its design was developed into the Leander class.