HMS Sirius (F40)

Following commissioning, Sirius joined the 24th Escort Squadron,^[9] and took part in that year's Portsmouth Navy Day.^[10] On 28 November 1966, Sirius set out from Portsmouth for the Far East, in order to join the Singapore-based 2nd Destroyer Squadron.^[11] Early in 1967, she interrupted her passage out to Singapore to carry out a deployment on the Beira Patrol, which was designed to prevent oil reaching landlocked Rhodesia via the then Portuguese colony of Mozambique.^[12] After Sirius reached her station at Singapore, the frigate took part in a number of 'fly-the-flag' visits to a variety of ports. Sirius also took part in the Coronation of Taufa'ahau Tupou IV of Tonga.^[13][14] The following year, Sirius deployed to the West Indies. In 1968 she took part in Portsmouth 'Navy Days'.^[15] Between 1966 and 1968 she was commanded by Derek Reffell.

In April 1970, Sirius again deployed to the West Indies, where she would perform the role of guard ship in that region, relieving Mohawk.^[16] On 1 August 1970, the ferry Chistena sank off St. Kitts, killing 233 people. Sirius took part in rescue operations, recovering bodies from the sea. Only 91 people survived the ferry sinking.^[16][17][18] For the actions of her crew, Sirius was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace. The West Indies Guardship deployment was eventually replaced by the Atlantic Patrol Task. In 1973, Sirius became guard ship to the West Indies once more, performing a variety of duties while there, including counter-drug operations. Later in the same year she appeared in an official government documentary during AAW and ASW exercises, along with RAS with RFA Grey Rover (A269) and a port visit to Madeira.^[19]

In 1974, Sirius joined Standing Naval Force Atlantic (STANAVFORLANT), a multi-national squadron of NATO, taking part in naval exercises in the process and visiting a variety of ports, and one of many deployments with NATO's multi-national squadrons. In 1975, Sirius began her modernisation which included the removal of her single 4.5-in twin gun in favour of the Exocet anti-ship missile system, as well as the amount of Sea Cat missiles she carried, increased. The modernisation was completed in October 1977. In 1978, Sirius became the leader of the 6th Frigate Squadron.

In September 1982, Sirius deployed to the Falkland Islands to perform a Falkland Islands patrol in the tense aftermath of the Falklands War. The following year, Sirius received the towed array sensor. In 1988, Sirius, as part of the group deployment Exercise 'Outback 88', deployed to the Far East and Pacific, attended Exercise Starfish with New Zealand, Australian, Malaysian and Singaporean naval units, and visited Australia for the 1988 bicentennial naval Salute, visiting a variety of ports in the process.

Sirius was paid off on 17 February 1992 and was stricken on 28 February 1993.^[20] She was subsequently towed to Pembroke Dockyard in preparation for her to be sunk as a target. However, her sinking was delayed by environmentalist groups. In 1998, Sirius was finally sunk as a target in the Atlantic Ocean by the submarine Spartan and the Type 23 frigate, Monmouth. Her sinking left just one Leander, Scylla, afloat in the United Kingdom; Scylla was later sunk as an artificial reef on 27 March 2004.^{[citation needed]}

• Baker, A. D. III (1998). The Naval Institute Guide to Combat Fleets of the World 1998–1999: Their Ships, Aircraft and Systems. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-111-4.
• Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of All Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th Century to the Present (3rd Rev ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.
• Critchley, Mike (1992). British Warships Since 1945: Part 5: Frigates. Liskeard, UK: Maritime Press. ISBN 0-907771-13-0.
• Friedman, Norman (2008). British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After. Barnsley, UK: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84832-015-4.
• Marriott, Leo (1983). Royal Navy Frigates 1945–1983. Shepperton, Surrey, UK: Ian Allan Ltd. ISBN 0-7110-1322-5.
• Moore, John, ed. (1979). Jane's Fighting Ships 1979–1980. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-354-00587-1.
• Moore, John, ed. (1985). Jane's Fighting Ships 1985–1986. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0-7106-0814-4.
• Osborne, Richard; Sowdon, David (1990). Leander Class Frigates. Kendal, UK: World Ships Society. ISBN 0-905617-56-8.