Frigate, << FRIHG iht, >> is a medium-sized warship used by many of the world’s larger navies. Frigates chiefly escort other ships. They are also used for patrol duty. Frigates are versatile ships. They can launch rockets and torpedoes against submarines. Some frigates have guided missiles for use against aircraft and surface ships. Some larger frigates can carry one or two antisubmarine helicopters. Frigates use radar and sonar to detect enemy aircraft, surface ships, and submarines.
In 1794, frigates became the first warships authorized by the United States Congress. The frigate Constitution, nicknamed Old Ironsides, ranks as one of the nation’s most famous ships. It is docked at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston (see Constitution ). During World War II (1939-1945), the U.S. Navy had a class of escort ships called frigates. After the war, the Navy used the term frigate for large destroyer-type ships. In 1975, the Navy reclassified most of these ships as cruisers.
In 1977, the United States Navy commissioned (put into active service) the Oliver Hazard Perry frigate class. Frigates of this class could fire missiles against ships, aircraft, and land targets. They also carry a 3-inch gun, torpedoes, and at least one helicopter. These ships are 445 feet (136 meters) long, and gas turbines propel them at more than 29 knots (nautical miles per hour).
In 2015, the U.S. Navy retired the remaining Perry-class frigate fleet. Smaller, faster vessels called littoral combat ships, designed to operate near shorelines, have begun to replace the frigate fleet. Many Perry-class frigates in the U.S. Navy were transferred to the armed forces of other countries.
