HMS Diamond (D34)

Diamond during Exercise Joint Warrior near Scotland, April 2013
Career (UK)
Name:	HMS Diamond
Ordered:	December 2000
Builder:	BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions
Yard number:	1063[1]
Laid down:	25 February 2005
Launched:	27 November 2007
Sponsored by:	Lady Johns
Commissioned:	6 May 2011[2]
Identification:	Deck code: DM[3] Pennant number: D34 International callsign: GPLC[4] IMO number: 4907763[5]
Motto:	Honor clarissima gemma ("Honour is the brightest jewel")
Status:	In active service, as of 2014
Badge:
General characteristics
Type:	Guided missile destroyer
Displacement:	8,000 t (7,900 long tons; 8,800 short tons)[6]
Length:	152.4 m (500 ft 0 in)
Beam:	21.2 m (69 ft 7 in)
Draught:	7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
Propulsion:	2 shafts Integrated electric propulsion (IEP); 2× Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines, 21.5 MW (28,800 shp) each 2× Wärtsilä 12V200 diesel generators, 2 MW (2,700 shp) each[7] 2× Converteam electric motors, 20 MW (27,000 shp) each
Speed:	In excess of 29 kn (54 km/h; 33 mph)[8]
Range:	7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement:	190
Sensors and processing systems:	SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar (Type 1045) S1850M 3-D air surveillance radar (Type 1046) 2× Raytheon I-band Radar (Type 1047) 1× Raytheon E/F-band Radar (Type 1048)[9] Ultra Electronics Series 2500 Electro-Optical Gun Control System (EOGCS)[10] Ultra Electronics SML Technologies radar tracking system Ultra Electronics/EDO MFS-7000 sonar
Electronic warfare and decoys:	UAT16 Surface ship torpedo defence (SSTD) Airbone Sys IDS300 decoy
Armament:	Anti-air missiles: Sea Viper air defence system. 1 × 48-cell Sylver A50 VLS, for a combination of 48: Aster 15 missiles (range 1.7-30 km) Aster 30 missiles (range 3-120 km) Anti-ship missiles: 2 × quad Harpoon launchers[N 1] Guns: 1 × BAE 4.5 inch Mk 8 naval gun 2 × Oerlikon 30 mm guns 2 × Phalanx CIWS 2 × Miniguns 6 × General purpose machine guns
Aircraft carried:	1-2×Lynx HMA8, armed with; 4× Sea Skua anti ship missiles, or 2× anti submarine torpedoes or 1×Westland Merlin HM1,[12] armed with; 4× anti submarine torpedoes
Aviation facilities:	Large flight deck Enclosed hangar

HMS Diamond is the third ship of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence destroyers built for the Royal Navy. She was launched in 2007, completed her contractor's sea trials in July 2010 and arrived at her base port on 22 September 2010. Diamond was commissioned in a traditional ceremony on 6 May 2011, and formally entered service on 12 July 2011.^[13][14]

Operational history

Diamond operating with USS Enterprise

Diamond‍ '​s construction began at the BAE Systems Naval Ships yard at Govan on the River Clyde in February 2005. She was launched on 27 November 2007.^[15] By July 2010, Diamond had been fully fitted out and finished her contractors' sea trials (stage 1 trials). She arrived in her base port of HMNB Portsmouth on 22 September 2010.^[16]

HMS Diamond was commissioned in a traditional ceremony on 6 May 2011 in her home port of Portsmouth. The ceremony was attended by the ship's sponsor and the Commander-in-Chief Fleet Admiral Sir Trevor Soar.^[17] Diamond continued undergoing sea trials until she entered operational service in July 2011 after the completion of her trials. The ship will conduct operational training before commencing her first overseas deployment.^[14] Diamond is expected to commence deployment in the summer of 2012,^[18] starting with celebrations to mark the Diamond Jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.^[19]

Recent service

Diamond escorts MV Ark Futura transporting chemicals from Syria in February 2014

Diamond was in the Middle East Area of Operations in 2012 and will be fully ready for operations in 2014.^[20] During Operation Recsyr in February 2014 she escorted MV Ark Futura carrying chemical agents from Syria.

Characteristics

Advanced air-defence

The Type 45 destroyers are primarily designed for anti-air warfare with the capability to defend against sophisticated targets such as fighter aircraft, drones as well as highly maneuverable sea skimming anti-ship missiles travelling at supersonic speeds.^[21] The Royal Navy describes the destroyers' mission as being "to shield the Fleet from air attack".^[6] The Type 45 destroyer is equipped with the sophisticated Sea Viper (PAAMS) air-defence system utilizing the SAMPSON active electronically scanned array multi-function radar and the S1850M long-range radar. The PAAMS system is able to track over 2,000 targets and simultaneously control and coordinate multiple missiles in the air at once, allowing a large number of tracks to be intercepted and destroyed at any given time. This makes the PAAMS system particularly difficult to swamp during a saturation attack, even against supersonic targets.^[22] The USNWC has suggested that the SAMPSON radar is capable of tracking 1,000 objects the size of a cricket ball travelling at three times the speed of sound (Mach 3), emphasising the system's capabilities against high performance stealth targets.^[21] A core component of the PAAMS air-defence system is the Aster missile, composing of the Aster 15 and Aster 30. MBDA describe Aster as a "hit-to-kill" anti-missile missile capable of intercepting all types of high performance air threats at a maximum range of 120 km.^[23] The Aster missile is autonomously guided and equipped with an active RF seeker enabling it to cope with "saturated attacks" thanks to a "multiple engagement capability" and a "high rate of fire".^[23] Presently the Daring-class destroyers are equipped with a 48-cell A50 Sylver Vertical Launching System allowing for a mix of up-to 48 Aster 15 and 30 missiles.

Weapons, countermeasures, capabilities and sensors

Diamond became the second ship of the class to receive Harpoon anti-ship missiles in 23 March 2015.^[24]

Affiliations

HMS Diamond under final assembly at the BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions shipyard at Govan.

Ship's sponsor:

• Lady Johns, wife of Vice Admiral Sir Adrian Johns KCB, CBE RN^[25]

Official affiliations:

• Aberdeen City^[25]
• City of Coventry^[25]

• The Worshipful Company of Barbers^[25]
• The Worshipful Company of Makers of Playing Cards
• No. 3 Squadron RAF^[25]
• De Beers (UK)^[25]
• The Lordswood CCF (Combined Cadet Force) Naval Contingent will be affiliated once the ship is completed.
• Loughborough Grammar School^[25] Naval Section CCF (Combined Cadet Force)

As part of her affiliation with Coventry, Diamond will carry a cross of nails created from the remains of Coventry Cathedral. At the end of the Second World War a cross of nails was created out of the wreckage and has been presented to all ships that carry the name Coventry. It was recovered from the wreck of HMS Coventry by divers after she was sunk in the Falklands War and presented to the crew of Diamond on her commissioning by Captain David Hart-Dyke, the commanding officer of Coventry at the time of her sinking.^[13]

The City of Sheffield was offered affiliation to Diamond, but this was turned down by Sheffield City Council and the Lord Mayor, who want the city associated with another HMS Sheffield.^[26] The affiliation has now been transferred to the City of Coventry.^[27][28]

Footnotes

Notes

References

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to HMS Diamond (D34).

• HMS Diamond

Commissioned ships of the Royal Navy    Submarines Vanguard class Vanguard Victorious Vigilant Vengeance Trafalgar class Torbay Trenchant Talent Triumph Astute class Astute Ambush Destroyers Type 45 Daring Dauntless Diamond Dragon Defender Duncan Frigates Type 23 Argyll Lancaster Iron Duke Monmouth Montrose Westminster Northumberland Richmond Somerset Sutherland Kent Portland St Albans Amphibious warfare ships Albion-class LPD Albion Bulwark Ocean-class LPH Ocean Mine counter measures vessels Sandown class Penzance Pembroke Grimsby Bangor Ramsey Blyth Shoreham Hunt class Ledbury Cattistock Brocklesby Middleton Chiddingfold Atherstone Hurworth Quorn Patrol vessels Ice patrol vessel Endurance Protector River class Mersey Severn Tyne Clyde Archer class Archer Biter Smiter Blazer Puncher Charger Ranger Trumpeter Express Example Explorer Exploit Tracker Raider Pursuer Dasher Scimitar class Scimitar Sabre Survey vessels Ocean survey vessel Scott Echo class Echo Enterprise Survey launch Gleaner Miscellaneous vessels Type 82 Bristol (static training vessel) Ship of the line Victory (flagship of the First Sea Lord)