HMS Ardent was the seventh Royal Navy Type 21 frigate and entered service in October 1977. Built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd, Glasgow, Scotland She was completed with Exocet launchers in ‘B’ position. Ardent was lost in action on the 21 May 1982 during the Falklands War.

During the 1980s, the Royal Navy had two major frigate classes in service, the Amazon class (Type 21) and the Broadsword class (Type 22) frigates. The origins of the Amazon class lay in the 1966 decision by the Labour Government to phase out the Royal Navy's aircraft carriers, and the cancellation of CVA-01, and three out of the four Type 82 destroyers. The Royal Navy commissioned eight 'Amazons' in the early 1970s.

The 2,500 ton Amazon Class of ships was designed as a collaborative venture by VosperThomvcroft Ltd. and Yarrow (Shipbuilders) Ltd. They were 384 ft long, with a beam of just over 41 ft. and were powered by Rolls Royce Olympus and Tyne gas turbines. They were fitted with an Exocet surface-to-surface missile system, a Seacat surface-to-air-missile system, and a 4-5 in. Mk 8 gun as well as anti-submarine homing torpedoes. The Wasp helicopter was later replaced bya twin-engined Lynx helicopter. Their living accommodations were of a high standard [for the times], with bunk sleeping, separate dining halls and cafeteria messing. They had air-conditioning. Although they were popular ships to serve in, they lacked the 'growth' potential to accommodate new weapons and sensors.

The Amazon Class frigate were built by private Ship builders. Vosper Thornycroft, (HMS Amazon, Antelope and HMS Active) with the other five by Yarrow's. The Amazon Type 21 Class Frigates HMS Amazon, Antelope, Ardent, Active, Ambuscade, Arrow, Alacrity, and HMS Avenger. were designed with the view to replace the aging Leopard and Salisbury Class Frigates. Initial cost were to be £3.5 million, but HMS Amazon actually cost £14.4 million.

Royal Navy Service
Ardent took part in the Falklands War, where she was attacked by Argentine aircraft in the Falkland Sound on 21 May 1982. The air strikes resulted in the sinking of Ardent the next day and the loss of 22 members from the 199 strong crew who abandoned ship onto HMS Yarmouth.

The survivors returned to the UK and established the HMS Ardent Association in a hope to foster and promote the name HMS Ardent and provide a focal point to remember our fallen crew-mates. The association president is Admiral the Lord West of Spithead who was First Sea Lord and Commander in Chief of the Royal Navy from 2002 until 2006 and the Commanding officer of HMS Ardent in the 1982 Falklands War. Lord West was the last to leave the sinking ship and was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for his leadership.