HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes (F804)

Construction is underway at Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij in Amsterdam in 1963.

In the early 1960s, the Royal Netherlands Navy had an urgent requirement to replace its Van Amstel-class frigates, obsolete ex-American escorts built during the Second World War. To meet this requirement, it chose to build a modified version of the British Leander-class frigate as its Van Speijk class, using broadly the same armament as the original design, but where possible, substituting Dutch electronics and radars.[3]

The Van Speijks were 113.4 m (372 ft) long overall and 109.7 m (360 ft) between perpendiculars, with a beam of 12.5 m (41 ft) and a draught of 5.8 m (19 ft). Displacement was 2,200 long tons (2,200 t) standard and 2,850 long tons (2,900 t) full load.[4] Two Babcock & Wilcox boilers supplied steam to two sets of Werkspoor-English Electric double reduction geared steam turbines rated at 30,000 shp (22,000 kW) and driving two propeller shafts.[4][5] This gave a speed of 28.5 kn (32.8 mph; 52.8 km/h).[4]

A twin 4.5-inch (113 mm) Mark 6 gun mount was fitted forward. Anti-aircraft defence was provided by two quadruple Sea Cat surface-to-air missile launchers on the hangar roof. A Limbo anti-submarine mortar was fitted aft to provide a short-range anti-submarine capability, while a hangar and helicopter deck allowed a single Westland Wasp helicopter to be operated, for longer range anti-submarine and anti-surface operations.[4][5]

As built, Tjerk Hiddes was fitted with a Signaal LW-03 long range air search radar on the ship's mainmast, with a DA02 medium range air/surface surveillance radar carried on the ship's foremast. M44 and M45 fire control radars were provided for the Seacat missiles and ships guns respectively.[4][6] The ship had a sonar suite of Type 170B attack sonar and Type 162 bottom search sonar.[4] The ship had a crew of 251.[4]

The modernized HNLMS Tjerk Hiddes in the 1980s.

An order for four Van Speijks, including Tjerk Hiddes, was placed in 1962, with two more ordered in 1964.[4] Tjerk Hiddes was laid down at the Amsterdam shipyard of Nederlandsche Dok en Scheepsbouw Maatschappij on 1 June 1964 and was launched on 17 December 1965. The ship was completed and entered service on 16 August 1967 with the pennant number F804.[5][9]

In 1969 Tjerk Hiddes participated in the NATO exercises Razor Sharp and Peace Keeper and also served with STANAVFORLANT.[10]

On 27 August 1978 she was present at the Navy days at Portsmouth.[2]

Tjerk Hiddes suffered from boiler problems, and in 1986 was put up for sale along with sister ships Van Speijk, Van Galen and Van Nes.[8] The four ships then were purchased by Indonesia. Tjerk Hiddes was decommissioned on 6 January 1986 and transferred to the Indonesian Navy on 31 October 1986.[11]

KRI Ahmad Yani in 2007

On 11 February 1986, Indonesia and the Netherlands signed an agreement for transfer of two Van Speijk class with option on two more ships.[1] The ship was transferred to Indonesia on 31 October 1986 and renamed KRI Ahmad Yani on joining the Indonesian Navy, with the pennant number 351.[11][1]

By 2002, the ships Seacat missiles were inoperable and it was reported that propulsion problems were badly effecting the availability of the ships of this class.[12] The ship's Seacat launchers were therefore replaced by two Simbad twin launchers for Mistral anti-aircraft missiles, and Ahmad Yani was re-engined with two 10.9 megawatts (14,600 shp) Caterpiller 3616 diesel engines.[1] As the Indonesian Navy retired Harpoon missile from its stockpiles, Ahmad Yani was rearmed with Chinese C-802 missiles.[13]

• Blackman, Raymond V. B., ed. (1971). Jane's Fighting Ships 1971–72. London: Sampson Low Marston & Co., Ltd. ISBN 0-354-00096-9.
• Couhat, Jean Labayle; Baker, A. D., eds. (1986). Combat Fleets of the World 1986/87. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-85368-860-5.
• Gardiner, Robert; Chumbley, Stephen, eds. (1995). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947–1995. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-132-7.
• Moore, John, ed. (1979). Jane's Fighting Ships 1979–1980. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-354-00587-1.
• Moore, John, ed. (1985). Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–1986. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-7106-0814-4.
• Prézelin, Bernard; Baker, A. D., III, eds. (1990). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1990/1991. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-250-8.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: editors list (link)
• Saunders, Stephen, ed. (2002). Jane's Fighting Ships 2002–2003. Coulsdon, Surrey, UK: Jane's Information Group. ISBN 0-7106-24328.
• Saunders, Stephan, ed. (2009). Jane's Fighting Ships 2009-2010. Jane's Information Group. ISBN 978-0-7106-2888-6.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to F804 Hr.Ms. Tjerk Hiddes (ship, 1965).