HMS Iron Duke intercepted several huge consignments of illegal drugs being sent from the Caribbean to Europe.
Her only combat mission was action off Libya in 2011, destroying a gun battery outside the besieged town of Misrata. She also fired star shells through the night to illuminate pro-Gadaffi positions for NATO aircraft to destroy rocket launchers, fuel dumps, ammo stores, artillery batteries and command and control centres, whilst also confirming that no civilians were in the area.
Prince William spent time on Iron Duke in 2008.
1. HMS Iron Duke memories
HMS Iron Duke leaves Portsmouth for deployment in 2014. Picture: Allan Hutchings (141864-039) Photo: Allan Hutchings
2. HMS Iron Duke memories
7th July 2016. HMS Iron Duke returned to Portsmouth on Thursday morning and was welcomed by scores of family and friends on the quayside These two acknowledge family and friends on the quayside from below decks of HMS Iron Duke Picture by: Malcolm Wells (160707-1042) Photo: The News archive
3. HMS Iron Duke memories
Undated Royal Navy handout of a massive shipment of cocaine, worth £250 million, which was found by a navy frigate aboard a merchant ship in the Caribbean, it was revealed, Thursday June 26, 2003. HMS Iron Duke (background) stopped a Panamanian-registered merchant ship following a tip-off from Customs officers in the UK. The 3.3 tonnes of cocaine was believed to be destined for Europe and was hidden behind specially-made, false steel bulkhead plates on the 11,500-tonne ship Yalta which was stopped 400 miles south-west of St Lucia. See PA story CRIME Drugs. PA Photo: Jack Russell/Royal Navy/handout Photo: The News archive
4. HMS Iron Duke memories
The homecoming of HMS Iron Duke to Portsmouth Naval Base 22nd August 2003. Sailors on board HMS Iron Duke wave to the waiting families on the quayside as they come alongside PICTURE: MALCOLM WELLS ( 034194-100 ) Photo: The News archive