HMS Fearless (L10)

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Career	Image:RN-White-Ensign.svg
Image:Hms-fearless-l10.jpg
Ordered:
Laid down:	25th July 1962
Launched:	December 19th 1963
Commissioned:	November 25th 1965
Decommissioned:	March 18th 2002
Fate:	Awaiting Disposal
Struck:
General Characteristics
Displacement:	12,120 tons full load
Length:	158.5 m
Beam:	24.4 m
Draught:	6.3 m
Propulsion:	English Electric 2 shaft geared steam turbines 11,000 shp (8.2 MW)
Speed:	21 knots (39 km/h)
Range:
Complement:	580
Armament:	2 x 20 mm GAM B01 BMARC single mounts ; 2 x 20 mm Phalanx CIWS
Aircraft:	Landing platform for up to 5 Sea King helicopters
Motto:	EXPLICIT NOMEN - The name says it all

HMS Fearless (L10) was a landing platform dock of the Royal Navy. Following her commissioning, she was sent to Aden, and was responsible for coordinating the British withdrawal. In 1968, she was the venue for talks between Harold Wilson and Ian Smith about Rhodesia.

The Fearless featured in the 1977 James Bond film The Spy Who Loved Me as the ship which picks up Bond's escape pod.

During the 1982 Falklands War, Fearless was part of the Task Force sent to retake the islands. She came under heavy air attack during the campaign, and participated in the landings at San Carlos Water on the 8 June during which one of her landing craft was destroyed. Four Royal Marines and two sailors were killed.

In 1985, Fearless decommissioned for three years, following which she underwent a two year refit, rejoining the fleet in 1991. Her increasing age led to continuing maintenance problems, and resulted in the Government ordering replacement vessels for both Fearless and her sister ship Intrepid. Fearless was finally paid off in 2002.

HMS Fearless was for a number of years the adopted ship of the UK seaside resort Scarborough, until its decommission in 2002.