HMS Kent and the Falklands.

During the later stages of the conflict RNAD Gosport received a request for an outfit of Seaslug Mk2 missiles for HMS Kent, which was laid-up in Portsmouth Harbour at the time. HMS Kent still had both her twin 4·5" turrets which were ideal for shore bombardment and her re-activation was being seriously considered. One of the technical staff (Ron) took over an office to use the floor to lay out a giant spreadsheet to plot the best use of components to put an outfit together; some hours later he emerged with a workplan and announced that we could provide 36 missiles. By this stage we had already queried whether HMS Kent could use Mk 2 missiles, and were told that the ship would be converted as part of the re-activation which would have taken between 1 and 2 weeks.
In the event the re-activation was not proceeded with as the Navy couldn't provide a crew, so HMS Kent never joined the Task Force.

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Last updated: 5^th November 2020.
Copyright SR Jenkins, July 2012.