The County classdestroyers were large vessels built by the Royal Navy around the Sea Sluganti-aircraft missile system. Eight of the vessels were built, between 1962 and 1970. These ships were replaced in service by the Type 42 destroyers. Four are still in service with the Chilean navy. All Royal Navy vessels had left the service by 1982.
County-class ships initially were armed with two dual 4.5 inch (114 mm) Vickers guns, however the second dual-gun was replaced with four Exocet missiles in the 1970s, a first for the Royal Navy. The ships were also armed with two Sea Cat short range anti-aircraft missile systems. In addition, the ships' main weapon was the large and very powerful Sea Slug anti-aircraft missile system, that was also used effectively in the anti-ship role. The Sea Slug was in the 1960s and early 1970s the most effective anti-air missile system in any navy.
They were also equipped with a hangar for one Westland Wessex helicopter.
At least one (Glamorgan) saw service in the Falklands War.
County-class destroyer
Devonshire | Hampshire | London | Kent | Fife | Glamorgan | Antrim | Norfolk
Modern destroyers are equivalent in tonnage but drastically superior in firepower to cruisers of the World War II era, capable of carrying nuclear missiles able to destroy cities in a very small volley.
The torpedo-boat destroyer later on took over the role of the smaller torpedo boats, performing torpedo attacks on fleets, such as the devastating Japanese attack on the Russian fleet in Port Arthur at the opening of the Russo-Japanese War in 1904, and attacks in the Pacific theatre of World War II.
The destroyers (as well as frigates) are, as always, the workhorses of the fleet, the former optimised for air defence and the latter for surface and subsurface warfare.
At the beginning of the 21st century, destroyers are the heaviest surface combatant vessels in general use, with only four nations (the United States, Russia, France and Peru) operating cruisers and none operating battleships.
The first British class to have separate cabins for officers, or a heating stove for the captain, was the River class of 1902.
Destroyers were involved in the skirmishes that prompted the Battle of Heligoland Bight, and filled a range of roles in the Battle of Gallipoli, acting as troops transports and fire support vessels, as well as their fleet-screening role.
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