UK sends Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster to help civilians flee Sudan.

According to information published by the Royal Navy on May 2, 2023, sailors and Royal Marines on HMS Lancaster have helped hundreds of civilians flee war-torn Sudan, assisting their escape through the country’s main port.
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Royal Navy's Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster. (Picture source: UK MoD)

The HMS Lancaster, a British frigate, arrived in Port Sudan last week as part of the UK's efforts to assist British citizens and those from partner nations in leaving Sudan amidst the raging civil war.

The operation involved airlifting civilians from around the capital, evacuating people across the Red Sea to Saudi Arabia by ship, and processing and supporting British nationals in Port Sudan with the help of the UK Armed Forces.

Members of 3 Parachute Regiment and 42 Commando Royal Marines disembarked from HMS Lancaster to bolster the safety of the journey for hundreds of people who arrived in Port Sudan by road.

The FCDO opened a temporary consular facility at the Coral Hotel in Port Sudan, and the crew of HMS Lancaster provided meals, welfare, and general support.

The frigate is usually deployed in the Middle East, protecting international trade and countering illicit activity by working with regional allies and partners to ensure maritime security.

About the HMS Lancaster

The Type 23 frigate HMS Lancaster has a displacement of 4,900 tons and measures 133 meters in length, 16.1 meters in beam, and 7.3 meters in draught.

She has a CODLAG propulsion system, comprising four 1,510 kW Paxman Valenta 12CM diesel generators, two GEC electric motors delivering 2,980 kW, and two Rolls-Royce Spey SM1C delivering 23,190 kW.

The frigate can achieve a speed of over 28 knots and has a range of 7,500 nautical miles at 15 knots. She has a complement of 185 and can accommodate up to 205 personnel.

The ship's armament includes one 32-cell GWS 35 Vertical Launching System for 32 Sea Ceptor missiles, two quad Harpoon launchers, and two twin 12.75-inch Sting Ray torpedo tubes.

She also has a BAE 4.5-inch Mk 8 naval gun, two 30 mm DS30M Mk2 guns or DS30B guns, Browning heavy machine guns, Miniguns, and general-purpose machine guns. The frigate carries one Wildcat HMA2 or Westland Merlin HM2 helicopter and has a flight deck and enclosed hangar.