HMS Danae (F47)

HMS "Danae" (F47) was a "Leander"-class frigate of the Royal Navy (RN). She was, like the rest of the class, named after a figure of mythology. "Danae" was built by Devonport Dockyard. She was launched on 31 October 1965 and commissioned on 10 October 1967.

In 1968, "Danae" became Gibraltar Guardship and later joined HMY "Britannia" her in South America to perform Royal escort duties. "Danae" subsequently undertook a Beira Patrol, which was designed to prevent oil reaching landlocked Rhodesia via the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique, of which the port of Beira there gave its name to the operation. "Danae" then deployed to the Far East, (Visiting Australia, New Zealand & Japan) remaining in that region until the middle of 1969. She then undertook another Beira Patrol, (a routine duty for the Royal Navy until it was stopped in 1975.)and finally returned to Devonport (Plymouth) in October 1969 - having been on deployment for 12 months.

In 1974, "Danae" deployed to the Far East via South Africa, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The following year, "Danae" performed a variety of duties while in the North Atlantic including oil-rig and fishery protection. She became a member (later Flag Ship) of the Standing Naval Force Atlantic (part of NATO), shadowing the Russian Navy's Ocean 75 exercise. In 1977, "Danae" took part in the Royal Navy Fleet Review to celebrate HM the Queen's Silver Jubilee. "Danae" was placed between her sister-ship HMS "Euryalus" and HMS "Antelope". Soon after, "Danae" commenced her modernisation program, which included the removal of her single 4.5-in twin turret which was replaced by the Exocet anti-ship missile system, giving "Danae" a powerful surface capability. The number of Sea Cat missiles she carried was also increased. The modernisation was completed in 1980.

In 1982, "Danae" was assigned to NATO's Standing Force North Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT) and was later deployed to the South Atlantic in the tense aftermath of the Falklands War, where she would escort the carrier HMS "Illustrious". She left later that year. The following year, "Danae" returned to the South Atlantic to undertake a Falkland Islands patrol, at a time when that region was still very tense. In 1985, "Danae" made yet another journey to the South Atlantic. In the late 1980s, "Danae" became ever more active with NATO's multi-national squadrons, though "Danae" was beginning to show signs of her increasing age. In 1990, "Danae" was decommissioned from the RN and sold to Ecuador and was renamed "Morán Valverde".

There are two affiliated Sea Cadet Corps units called TS Danae, at Hitchin and Chesterfield.