Type 45 destroyer

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Type 45 destroyer
Type 45
General Characteristics
Type: Guided missile destroyer
In Service: 2009
Complement: 190 - 235
Displacement: 7,350 tonnes
Length: 152.4 m
Beam: 21.2  m
Draught: 5 m
Machinery:

2 shafts Integrated Electric Propulsion;
Speed: 27 knots + (est., top speed classified)
Armament:
Electronics:
  • SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar
  • S1850M 3-D air surveillance radar
  • MFS-7000 sonar
Aircraft: 1 Lynx HMA 8 helicopter or 1 Merlin HM Mark1
Artist's impression of the Type 45 destroyer
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Artist's impression of the Type 45 destroyer

The United Kingdom's Type 45 destroyer is the state-of-the art air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy. The first Type 45 destroyer, HMS Daring, was launched on February 1, 2006 by H.R.H. The Countess of Wessex and is expected to come into service in 2009. The ships are assembled by BAE Systems Naval Ships from "blocks" built by BAE and VT Group.

BAE Systems, in recently published information about the class, state that "they will be the most advanced fighting ships of their kind in the world". In a recent interview given to Warships International magazine, the former First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Alan West is quoted as saying, " I have no doubt the ships will be the best destroyers in the world".

Contents

[edit] Background

Originally conceived under the multi-national 'Horizon' project, from which the UK withdrew, the Daring Class destroyers represent the largest escorts ever built for the RN.

Six ships have been ordered and a total of eight are expected to enter service by 2014. The original planned purchase of twelve was reduced in the Ministry of Defence's Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities review, published in July 2004. The Type 45 design utilises the Principal Anti-Air Missile System, PAAMS, a joint British/French/Italian design, which comprises the SAMPSON fire control and tracking radar, MBDA Aster 15 and 30 missile systems and the 48-cell SYLVER vertical missile launcher, giving the Type 45 both short-range and long-range anti-air capability. The PAAMS system is able to control and coordinate several missiles in the air at once, allowing several tracks to be intercepted, and the SYLVER missile launcher can be upgraded in the future to add more modern weapons if necessary (as they become available). It has been suggested that the SAMPSON radar is capable of tracking an object the size of a cricket ball travelling at 3 times the speed of sound.[1]

The Type 45 destroyers will replace the Type 42 Destroyers currently in service with the Royal Navy. The First two, Daring and Dauntless will enter service in 2009 and 2010 respectively. The Type 45 may also be fitted with cruise missiles if the need arises in the future; the French Navy is in the process of adapting the Storm Shadow cruise missile (already operated by the RAF) for firing from Sylver launchers — as fitted to the Type 45 class.

The UK had sought to procure the ships in collaboration with 7 other NATO nations under the NFR-90 project and then with France and Italy through the Horizon CNGF programme; however, differing national requirements, workshare arguments and delays led to the UK withdrawing from both programmes and starting its own national project.

[edit] Design

The Type 45 destroyers will be 152.4 m in length, with a beam of 21.2 m and a draught of 5.0 m. This makes them significantly larger than the Type 42 destroyers they replace, displacing 7350 tonnes compared to 5200 tonnes of the Type 42. The Type 45 destroyers are the first British warships built to meet the hull requirements of Lloyd's Register's Naval Rules.

The Type 23 frigates were the first British warships to incorporate signature reduction technology, with the large 70° angle of the bow, the elimination of right angles and reduced equipment on deck. The propulsion system was also chosen to minimise noise, with electric generators providing minimal acoustic signature for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions. Infrared signature is reduced by cooling devices on the funnels.

The design of the Type 45 brings new levels of signature reduction to the Royal Navy. The equipment on the deck is reduced further, producing a very "clean" superstructure similar to the La Fayette class of frigates. There is reduced equipment located on the mast and all docking equipment and life rafts are concealed behind superstructure panels.

[edit] Construction

Daring under construction.
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Daring under construction.
Launch of Daring. The ship's funnels, masts and radars are to be fitted in dry dock.
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Launch of Daring. The ship's funnels, masts and radars are to be fitted in dry dock.
Daring being floated on the Clyde after launching.
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Daring being floated on the Clyde after launching.

The ships are built by an alliance of BAE Systems Naval Ships and VT Group. Each of BAE's two Glasgow shipyards and VT at Portsmouth are responsible for different "blocks". The largest and most complex blocks containing the operations and machinery spaces are being constructed at BAE's shipyards on the Clyde.

  • BAE Systems Naval Ships (Govan)
    • Block A (stern to edge of helicopter hangar)
  • BAE Systems Naval Ships (Scotstoun)
    • Blocks B/C (a 2600 tonne section which contains the WR-21 gas turbines, starts with the helicopter hangar to the bridge section)
    • Block D (bridge section)
  • VT Group (Portsmouth)
    • Blocks E/F (bridge to the bow)
    • Funnels and masts

Block A is assembled at Govan and moved to Scotstoun where it is mated to the Block B/C, which is already fitted with the WR-21 turbines and machinery. Block D, also assembled at Scotstoun is fitted to these three blocks. The bow sections (E/F) are mated at VT's facility at Portsmouth and taken by barge to Scotsoun. This is the final block to be attached.

At this point the basic ship is launched into the Clyde and towed to the Scotstoun Dry Dock where the masts and funnels are fitted (the masts are partially outfitted with equipment, for example the mast for the S1850M radar is sent from Portsmouth to Thales Nederland to be fitted with radar equipment). Once this is complete the remaining equipment is fitted; radar arrays (SAMPSON and S1850), bulbous bow, propellers, missile equipment and 4.5 inch naval gun.

This construction arrangement was agreed in February 2002. However when the original contract for three ships was signed in July 2000, BAE was to build the first and third ships, and VT (then Vosper Thornycroft) was to build the second. HMS Daring was successfully launched on February 1st 2006, ready for fitting out. The event attracted considerable local attention and media coverage due to the relative rarity of a launch into the Clyde in the 2000s.

[edit] Systems

[edit] Electronics & armament

  • Anti-ship

The Type 45 has the potential to ship a pair of quadruple RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers, but there are currently no plans to fit this system (as of 2006)[1].

  • Anti-submarine
    • MFS 7000 sonar
    • Fitted 'for but not with' STWS (Ship-launched Torpedo Weapon System) Mark 2 324 mm triple launchers for Sting Ray torpedoes.
  • Land attack

The Type 45 as it stands has no land-attack missile capability. However, should the need arise, it would be possible to fit them with the American Mk 141 VLS, firing the BGM-109 Tomahawk; the Defence Procurement Agency conducted a study into this in 2004, but there are no plans yet to fit this [2]. The French Navy are pursuing a variant of the Storm Shadow / SCALP air-launched cruise missile for their SYLVER launchers.

  • Countermeasures
    • The Seagnat decoy system allows for the seduction and distraction of radar guided weapons, through active and passive means. An infra-red 'spoofing' device is planned for future retrofits.
    • Surface Ship Torpedo Defence System (SSTD) active torpedo decoy system

The Merlin helicopter will not be carried at first; the PRISM deck handling device and other necessary systems have been deleted from the design as a cost-saving measure. This capability may be retro-fitted at a later date, or included in later units of the class. The flight deck of the Type 45 will be big enough to accommodate aircraft up to the size of the Chinook.

  • Other

The ships will have room to carry 60 Royal Marines and their equipment.

[edit] Propulsion

2 shafts Integrated Electric Propulsion;

[edit] Affiliations

[edit] Ships in the class

The Type 45 class is also known as the "D class". The first six ships are to be called, Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon, Defender and Duncan. Two more may be ordered by the MoD.

Name Pennant number First steel cut* Launching Commissioning
Daring D32 28th March 2003 1st February 2006 2009
Dauntless D33 26th August 2004 23rd January 2007[3] 2010
Diamond D34 25th February 2005 Summer 2007 2010
Dragon D35 19th December 2005 2008 2011
Defender D36 31st July 2006 2008 2012
Duncan D37 2006 2009 2013
* - The Type 45 is contructed in modules, so the keel is not "laid down" as in the past. The ceremonial start of the ships' construction is "cutting the first sheet of steel".

[edit] References

  1. ^ House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 30 Oct 2006 (pt 0001)
  2. ^ House of Commons Hansard Written Answers for 9 Mar 2004 (pt 8)
  3. ^ http://www.eveningtimes.co.uk/hi/news/5055510.html

[edit] See also

[edit] External links


Type 45 destroyer
Daring | Dauntless | Diamond | Dragon | Defender | Duncan

List of destroyers of the Royal Navy
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