[3][5] Propulsion was by a single-shaft Combined steam and gas (COSAG) arrangement, effectively half of the powerplant of the County-class destroyers.

[2] The ships were fitted with two QF 4.5-in (113 mm) Mark 5 guns, salvaged from scrapped Second World War destroyers, mounted fore and aft.

[3][5] Gurkha was ordered under the 1955–56 Naval Estimates from John I. Thornycroft & Company, of Woolston, Hampshire,[5][3] at a cost of £4,865,000[10] She was laid down on 3 November 1958, was launched on 11 July 1960 and commissioned on 13 February 1963,[3] joining the 9th Frigate Squadron in the Middle East.

Gurkha was present at the 1977 Spithead Fleet Review, held in honour of Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee.

Although she had been put on the disposal list,[18] Gurkha was removed from the reserve during the Falklands War and prepared for active service,[19] recommissioning on 24 July.

In October 1982, Gurkha became Gibraltar Guardship,[21] following this was a deployment to the Caribbean late in 1982 on "Carib Train" returning to the UK in early 1983.

[citation needed] After being decommissioned in March 1984, Gurkha was sold to Indonesia in April that year, and after a refit at Vosper Thornycroft's Woolston, Southampton shipyard, the ship was commissioned into the Indonesian Navy on 21 October 1985.