The eight-month project has involved well over 200,000 manhours and has seen some 40km of new cable installed, 300 new items manufactured, and 1100 items removed for overhaul in the workshops at Devonport, as well as many items renewed through the Upkeep by Exchange process.
The upkeep period has been a challenging one, HMS Westminster being the first Type 23 frigate to receive two of the largest upgrades at the same time: the Royal Navy's new DNA (2) Command System (central to its fighting capability against air, surface and underwater threats), and SeaWolf mid-life update comprising tracking, guidance and weapon management upgrades to counter evolving anti-ship missile threats.
The ship has also received the Defence Information Infrastructure (Future) upgrade, ready for installation of the new software to enable information sharing and collaborative working across the Armed Forces and MoD.
The refit has also involved a large weapons package, including a 4.5 inch Mod1 gun upgrade, as well as an upgrade of Sonar 2087, NATO radial filters to protect fresh air supplies from contamination, and a sophisticated incident detection system, the Nuclear Biological Chemical Defence Incident Surveillance System.