HMS Daring leaving Portsmouth Naval Base in 2010 |
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| Career (United Kingdom) | |
|---|---|
| Operator: | Royal Navy |
| Ordered: | December 2000 |
| Builder: | BAE Systems Naval Ships |
| Yard number: | 1061[1] |
| Laid down: | 28 March 2003 |
| Launched: | 1 February 2006 |
| Sponsored by: | The Countess of Wessex |
| Commissioned: | 23 July 2009[2] |
| Homeport: | HMNB Portsmouth |
| Identification: | Deck code: DA Pennant number: D32 International callsign: GPLA[3] IMO number: 4907749[4] |
| Motto: | Splendide audax ("Finely Daring") |
| Status: | In service |
| Badge: | On a Field Black, an arm and a hand in a cresset of fire all Proper |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Daring-class air-defence destroyer |
| Displacement: | 8,000 tonnes, standard[5] |
| Length: | 152.4 m (500 ft) |
| Beam: | 21.2 m (70 ft) |
| Draught: | 7.4 m (24 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2 Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines, Alstom electric motors |
| Speed: | 29+ knots[6] |
| Range: | 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at economical speed |
| Complement: | 190 ships crew |
| Sensors and processing systems: |
SAMPSON radar S1850M 3D radar MFS 7000 Sonar[7] |
| Electronic warfare and decoys: |
Seagnat SSTD[8] Airbone Sys IDS300 decoy |
| Armament: |
Anti-air missiles; Guns; Provision for but not fitted with; |
| Aircraft carried: | 1-2×Lynx HMA8, armed with;
1×Westland Merlin HM1,[9]armed with;
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| Aviation facilities: |
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HMS Daring is the lead ship of the Type 45 or 'D' class of air defence destroyer in the Royal Navy and the seventh ship to hold that name.
She was launched in 2006 on the Clyde and conducted contractor's sea trials during 2007 and 2008. She was handed over to the Royal Navy in December 2008, entered her base port of Portsmouth for the first time in January 2009 and was formally commissioned on 23 July 2009. As the lead ship of the first destroyer class built for the Royal Navy since the Type 42 in the 1970s, she has attracted significant media and public interest. The price tag of approximately £6.6 billion for the six ships represents a significant investment into the future needs of the Royal Navy.
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Daring's construction began at the BAE Systems Naval Ships yard (now BAE Systems Surface Ships) at Scotstoun on the River Clyde in March 2003.[10] The ship was launched at 14.21 GMT on 1 February 2006. HRH The Countess of Wessex was the ship's sponsor at her launch.[11] On 16 November 2006, the Countess of Wessex brought Daring to life on her first official visit. On 17 November 2006, Her Royal Highness switched on the ship's diesel generators, part of the 'powering up' ceremony.[12]
On 18 July 2007 Daring sailed on the first set of sea trials (Stage 1.1),[13] successfully completing them 4 weeks later on 14 August 2007.[14] As she is the first in the class some structural areas needed to be tested, including the loads that the main 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun puts on the ship.[15] During these trials, Daring reached her design speed of 29 knots (54 km/h) in 70 seconds and achieved a speed of 31.5 knots (58 km/h) in 120 seconds.[6] She sailed for Stage 1.2 on 30 March 2008 and returned on 2 May. Stage 1.2 included trials on the Long Range Radar and navigation system, medium calibre gun blast trials, weapon alignment tests and endurance tests.[16] Stage 1.3 trials were conducted between 26 August [17] and 22 September 2008[18] and emphasis was placed on testing the full range of communications equipment. The ship's company used the opportunity to conduct familiarisation and training activities in preparation for the transfer of the vessel to the Royal Navy in December 2008.[19] Stage 2 trials took place in 2009, once the ship had been handed over to the Royal Navy.[20][21]
HMS Daring, the navy's first Type 45 destroyer arrived in her home port of Portsmouth on 28 January 2009[22] to large crowds along the seafront.[23] She was given the honour of a flypast to coincide with her passing of the Round Tower, just outside Portsmouth.[24] Daring was formally commissioned on 23 July 2009 with The Countess of Wessex inspecting an honour guard on the quayside, and reception. The commissioning cake was cut by wife of the commanding officer and Able Seaman Daniel Small who was the youngest member of the ship’s company.[2]
Daring was declared officially "in service" on 31 July 2010,[25] and shortly afterwards on 7 September 2010 was involved in a collision with a tug whilst entering Marchwood Military Port in Southampton Water. The cause of the collision and the extent of the damage are yet to be determined.[26]
Daring fired her first Sea Viper missile in May 2011 during a test launch in the Outer Hebrides, after years of trials.[27]
Daring has now been equipped with Phalanx CIWS mounted on either side of the superstructure.[28]
The most distinctive design point of Daring is her sleekly designed straight edges and superstructure free from clutter. This is designed to give the ship a low radar cross section - commonly called stealth features. Speculation by the press suggests that this design gives the ship the radar signature of a fishing boat.[29]
Daring has frequently been cited by the British press as being the first warship to include e-mail and entertainment systems (including iPod charging points)[30] within the messdecks. These reports relate to 230 V domestic supplies and access to external e-mail, both of which have been common features in most RN vessels for several years.[31]
Daring is, however, notable for being the first Royal Navy vessel to include gender-neutral living spaces to accommodate male and female crew members; communal shower and heads facilities have given way to individual cubicles, and six-person berths for junior ratings are far more flexible in accommodating a mixture of male and female sailors.[32] Men and women will continue to sleep in separate spaces, in common with most other navies.
The ship's capabilities centre on the SAMPSON multi-function radar which can detect hundreds of targets out to a distance of 400 km (250 mi) and the PAAMS missile system. In addition Daring's S1850M 3D air-surveillance radar is capable of detecting 1,000 targets at up to 400 km (250 mi). It is also capable of detecting outer-atmosphere objects such as ballistic missiles.
Sea Viper missile system.
While not officially affiliated with the football club Aston Villa F.C., the ship has close ties with the team. The chairman of the Birmingham based club, Randy Lerner, donated a painting to the ship that depicts a maritime battle played within Villa Park, the home stadium of the club. Members of the ship's company provided a guard of honour before a game against Middlesbrough F.C. on the Remembrance Sunday weekend.[39]
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