German destroyer Hessen

For other ships with the same name, see German ship Hessen.

Hessen (D184) was the fourth ship of the Hamburg-class destroyer of the German Navy.

Hessen on 1 September 1986.
History
Germany
Name	Hessen
Namesake	Hessen
Builder	H. C. Stülcken Sohn, Hamburg
Laid down	5 February 1961
Launched	4 May 1963
Commissioned	8 October 1968
Decommissioned	29 March 1990
Identification	Pennant number: D184 Callsign: DRAD
Fate	Scrapped in 1991
General characteristics
Class and type	Hamburg-class destroyer
Displacement	4,050 tonnes
Length	133.7 m (438 ft 8 in)
Beam	13.4 m (44 ft 0 in)
Draft	4.8 m (15 ft 9 in)
Propulsion	4 × Wahodag boilers, 2 steam turbines, 72,000 shp
Speed	35 knots (65 km/h) 37 knots (69 km/h) only D182
Range	3,400 nautical miles (6,300 km) at 18 knots (33 km/h)
Complement	284
Sensors and processing systems	3 × HSA fire-control radars Sonar 1BV2
Armament	3 × DCN 100 mm/L55 guns 4 × twin 40 mm/L70 guns, Breda Mod 64 2 × twin MM38 Exocet launcher 2 × quadruple Bofors 375 mm anti-submarine rocket launchers 2 × depth charge ramps, 10 depth charges 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes up to 90 naval mines Mk 17 2 × 20 barreled chaff

Background

The Type 101 Hamburg class was the only class of destroyers built during post-war Germany. They were specifically designed to operate in the Baltic Sea, where armament and speed is more important than seaworthiness. They were named after Bundesländer (states of Germany) of West Germany.

The German shipyard Stülcken was contracted to design and build the ships. Stülcken was rather inexperienced with naval shipbuilding, but got the order, since the shipyards traditionally building warships for the German navies like Blohm + Voss, Howaldtswerke or Lürssen were all occupied constructing commercial vessels.

Construction and career

Hessen was laid down on 5 February 1961 and launched on 4 May 1963 in Hamburg. She was commissioned on 8 October 1968 and decommissioned on 29 March 1990. Finally towed to Portugal and scrapped in 1991.

Gallery

• Hessen Gallery
• 
  USS Platte refueling with Hessen on 1 September 1986.
• 
  Hessen underway 1 September 1986.
• 
  Hessen underway 1 September 1986.
• 
  Hessen underway 1 September 1986.
• 
  Hessen underway 1 September 1986.