1990-2001 In 1990,
Edinburgh completed a refit, which included the fitting of the
Phalanx Close-in weapon system (CIWS). In 1994,
Edinburgh was present at a
Fleet Review to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the
D-Day landings in 1944. In 1998,
Edinburgh deployed to the
South Atlantic, where she patrolled the waters around the
Falkland Islands, as well as making 'fly-the-flag' visits to various
South American ports.
2002-2010 On 27 September 2002,
Edinburgh sailed into the
River Mersey to escort the yachts at the end of the
Clipper Round the World Yacht Race. In January 2003,
Edinburgh deployed to the
Persian Gulf and subsequently took part in the
Second Gulf War against the dictator
Saddam Hussein. While there,
Edinburgh performed a variety of tasks, which included supporting the
Royal Marines ashore, as well as being escort to the helicopter carrier . She returned to her home base at
Portsmouth in May. In April 2004,
Edinburgh deployed to the
Mediterranean, where she first joined
Standing Naval Force Mediterranean (STANAVFORMED), and while there she took part in
Operation Active Endeavour, designed to monitor sea lanes as part of the
war on terror. On her return to the UK,
Edinburgh went into an extensive refit in
Rosyth. She left Rosyth in September 2005 to conduct trials to ensure that she was materially up to operational standard before conducting operational sea training in the New Year.
Edinburgh then took part in
Exercise Neptune Warrior off the coast of Scotland; conducted a High Seas Firing of her
Sea Dart missile system and then took part in the multi-national
BALTOPS exercise in the
Baltic Sea. The time in the Baltic included visits to Sweden, Germany and Estonia. During the visit to Estonia,
Edinburgh took part in the naval parade celebrating an Estonian national holiday. In autumn 2006 Edinburgh deployed to the Falkland Islands remaining there until June 2007. The extended nature of the deployment was made possible by the "Sea Swap" trial, an initiative to try and extend operational deployments by keeping the ship in theatre and swapping crews; in this case the crews of HMS EXETER and EDINBURGH. The swap was completed in March and while not an unqualified success, it did achieve the object of the trial in keeping a ship on station for a longer period of time. EDINBURGH was the centre piece for the 25th anniversary celebration of the liberation of the Falkland Islands in June 2007 and she finally returned home to Portsmouth in August 2007 via, Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleze in Brazil and Tenerife. The crews of both ships then "unswapped" in September 2007.
Edinburgh was deployed to the Middle and Far East from February until late July 2008 as part of Orion 2008, including a visit to Singapore and operations in the Gulf, during which she took part in an interception of a drugs cargo.
2010 refit Edinburgh became the last
Type 42 destroyer to undergo a refit when she entered dry dock on 25 January 2010 at
BAE Systems Surface Ships shipyard in
Portsmouth Naval Base for work to keep the ship in service until 2013. Under a £17.5 million contract, the company refurbished the destroyer's weapons and communications systems, added a transom flap to the stern and applied a coat of
International Paint's Intersleek 900 foul-release paint. The refit included a renewal of crew living quarters, catering facilities and laundry equipment.
Edinburghs four
Rolls-Royce gas turbine engines were removed; with two being replaced by new units (starboard
Olympus TM3B and port
Tyne RM1C). In a company statement on 18 January 2010, BAE Systems said that the modifications would cut fuel consumption by 15 per cent.
Edinburgh emerged from refit in September 2010 to undergo sea trials that include testing the ship's propulsion machinery, radar and communication equipment, as well as her ability to conduct flying operations.
Edinburghs signatures were assessed for radar cross section, heat, magnetic and acoustics before trials culminating in live firings of medium and close range weapons. The ship was formally accepted back into the fleet in late October 2010, followed by a rededication ceremony in early November.
2011-2013 In April 2011
Edinburgh successfully completed Sea-Dart missile firing trials. She called at Edinburgh from 15 to 21 May, followed by
Cammell Laird,
Birkenhead, where she was built. Her final call on the tour was
Lyme Regis on 29 May, prior to sailing for Portsmouth for decommissioning. She arrived in Portsmouth on 31 May and was open to the public there on 1 and 2 June. She was decommissioned on 6 June. ==Fate==