Gordi (Bulgarian: Горди, lit. 'Proud') is a Wielingen-class frigate of the Bulgarian Navy with number 43. She was originally commissioned as Westdiep in the Belgian Navy.
![]() Westdiep in 1985
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History | |
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Name | Westdiep |
Builder | Cockerill Yards, Hoboken, Antwerp |
Laid down | 2 September 1974 |
Launched | 8 December 1975 |
Christened | 20 January 1978 |
Decommissioned | 5 October 2007 |
Homeport | Zeebrugge Naval Base |
Motto | "Altum est Regnum Meum" |
Fate | Sold to Bulgaria in February 2008 |
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Name | Gordi |
Acquired | February 2009 |
Status | In service |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Wielingen-class frigate |
Displacement | 2,200 tonnes |
Length | 106.38 m (349.0 ft) |
Beam | 12.30 m (40.4 ft) |
Draught | 5.60 m (18.4 ft) |
Propulsion |
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Speed | 28 knots (52 km/h) |
Range | 6,000 nautical miles (11,000 km) at 16 knots (30 km/h) |
Complement | 14 officers, 84 NCOs and 59 sailors |
Armament |
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Construction and career edit
Westdiep was launched on 8 December 1975 at the Cockerill Yards in Hoboken, and christened by Princess Astrid of Belgium, on 20 January 1978. The patronage of the Westdiep was accepted by the city of Sint-Niklaas. Westdiep was the second ship in the Wielingen class. She had the pennant number F911.
On 5 October 2007 Westdiep, by then the last commissioned frigate of Belgian construction in the Belgian Navy[citation needed], was withdrawn from service.[1]
She was sold to the Bulgarian Navy together with her sister, Wielingen. Another sistership, Wandelaar has already been sold to Bulgaria. Westdiep entered service with them under the name Gordi, and with the pennant number 43.
Citations edit
- ^ Silverstone 2007, p. 9.
References edit
- Silverstone, Paul H. (2007). "Naval Intelligence". Warship International. Vol. 44, no. 1. pp. 9–13. ISSN 0043-0374. JSTOR 44895530.
External links edit