MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

HMS Sheffield under new masters.

The former Type 22 batch 2 frigate HMS Sheffield, now the Chilean FFG Almirante Williams, welcomed on board her new masters as part of a visit to Devonport Naval Base. Chilean officials anticipated they hoped to purchase two more former Royal Navy units.

The Chilean Minister of Defence, Dr Michelle Bachelet, and the Commander in Chief of the Chilean Navy, Admiral Miguel Vergara were among the party welcomed to the Plymouth base by Naval Base Commander, Cdre Andrew Mathews. Other senior Chilean officials included the Under Secretary for the Navy Carlos MacKenney, Director of Naval Programmes Rear Admiral Cristian Gantes, Defence and Naval Attaché Captain Enrique O'Reilly who were shown around the Chilean Navy's latest warship.

Dr Bachelet said: "I am very impressed by the progress of our crew under training by the Royal Navy. The morale is very high and they will be a credit to the Chilean Navy when they get back to Chile next year."

Admiral Vergara added: "This is a significant ship for Chile because its purchase from the Royal Navy represents the first step in an extensive modernisation of our fleet".

"We already have three County-class and three Leander-class ex-Royal Navy warships, most of which are more than 35 years old.

"This is the first second-hand ship of its age that we have bought from the Royal Navy, and hope the UK will offer us two more. It is a good platform and we are impressed by the training under the Royal Navy."

The Type 22 batch 2 frigate will start her long voyage to her new home at the end of this year once her newly-formed Chilean ship's company have completed operational training under the watchful eye of Flag Officer Sea Training. As her training package came to an end off Plymouth, the Almirante Williams has been subjected to simulated air attacks.

She was ?attacked' by Hawk and Falcon aircraft which simulated the kind of onslaught a warship could expect from jet fighters and missiles. As well as her air defence skills, the ship will also have to survive emergencies such as missile strikes, flooding and fire.

Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) staff train warships from navies across the world who recognise the Royal Navy's reputation and experience in preparing personnel and their ships for peak operational readiness.

A legacy of the former HMS Sheffield has been presented to the Sheffield city's Lord Mayor Diane Leek.

The model of the Wilkinson Sword of Peace, won by the Naval Task Force that included the frigate for helping the people of Nicaragua and Honduras in the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch in 1998, will be on display in the city.