HMS Active (F171) was a Type 21 (Amazon-class) frigate of the Royal Navy. She was the eighth ship of her name to serve in the Royal Navy, built by Vosper Thornycroft and launched on 23 June 1977. She was commissioned later that year and served for 17 years before being sold to the Pakistan Navy.
Design and Construction: Active was part of the Type 21 frigate class, designed as a general-purpose frigate. The class was noted for its sleek, yacht-like appearance and its gas turbine propulsion system, which provided high speed and rapid acceleration. Like her sister ships, Active was powered by a combination of Rolls-Royce Olympus TM3B gas turbines for high speed and Rolls-Royce Tyne RM1A gas turbines for cruising. She was armed with a 4.5-inch Mark 8 naval gun, Exocet anti-ship missiles, Seacat anti-aircraft missiles, and anti-submarine torpedo tubes.
Service History: Active served in various roles throughout her Royal Navy career, including patrols, exercises, and deployments to different parts of the world. Her most notable period of service came during the Falklands War in 1982.
- Falklands War (1982): Active was one of the many British warships deployed to the South Atlantic. She played a significant role in the conflict, primarily engaged in naval gunfire support, escort duties, and anti-submarine patrols. She was involved in rescuing survivors from the stricken HMS Sheffield after it was hit by an Exocet missile on 4 May 1982. Active also conducted shore bombardments against Argentine positions and provided close support to land forces. She was the last British warship to leave the Falkland Islands after the conflict ended.
After the Falklands War, Active continued her service, participating in various NATO exercises and carrying out deployments, including operations in the Persian Gulf.
Decommissioning and Fate: HMS Active was decommissioned from the Royal Navy on 23 September 1994. She was subsequently sold to the Pakistan Navy as part of a package deal for six Type 21 frigates. Upon transfer, she was renamed PNS Shah Jahan (D-186) and continued to serve for another 15 years. PNS Shah Jahan was eventually decommissioned from the Pakistan Navy in 2009, having completed a combined total of over 30 years of service.