Destroyers are part of the backbone of the Royal Navy, committed around the world 365 days a year hunting pirates, drug runners or submarines, defending the Fleet from air attack, and providing humanitarian aid after natural disasters
-
Current Location
Harstad, Norway
15:26 GMT - 16 February 2012
Exercise Cold Response
Follow the story
Destroyers
HMS Daring
HMS Daring is the first of the Navy’s six £1bn Type 45 destroyers and she is the first of class to deploy. In preparation she conducted work-ups with an American Carrier battle Group back in 2010 and gone through a series of upgrade programmes to ensure she met the high standards required for deploying RN units. Daring is designed to create a defensive shield around a task force – and troops ashore – protecting them from air attack. The ship was launched on a bitterly cold day at BAE Systems’ yard in Scotstoun on the Clyde in February 2006 by her sponsor, the Countess of Wessex.
-
HMS Daring
HMS Daring is the first of the Navy’s six £1bn Type 45 destroyers and she is the first of class to deploy. In preparation she conducted work-ups with an American Carrier battle Group back in 2010 and gone through a series of upgrade programmes to ensure she met the high standards required for deploying RN units. Daring is designed to create a defensive shield around a task force – and troops ashore – protecting them from air attack. The ship was launched on a bitterly cold day at BAE Systems’ yard in Scotstoun on the Clyde in February 2006 by her sponsor, the Countess of Wessex.
-
HMS Dauntless
HMS Dauntless, the second of the T45 Destroyers, joined the Fleet in November 2010, shortly after being the first of class to fire the new Sea Viper missile.
Since then she has proved her capability helping to ‘protect’ the USS Carrier Battle Group in Exercise Saxon Warrior as the American units approached the UK in May.
-
HMS Diamond
The latest joiner to the Fleet in July, HMS Diamond will be the quickest to deploy (within 12 months of In Service Date) as the utility of the T45 Destroyers increases. After a standard deployment generation cycle, she will deploy on operations in Summer 2012. Her motto befits her name: Honor clarissima gemma – honour is the brightest jewel.
-
HMS Defender
HMS Defender is the fifth of the Navy’s six £1bn Type 45 destroyers – and is currently being built in Glasgow which is one of her two affiliated cities (the other is Exeter). She will be going to sea for trials in October this year and will be delivered to her home port of Portsmouth in July 2012.
After a further period of trials she is expected to join the Fleet early in 2013.
-
HMS Edinburgh
HMS Edinburgh – known as the ‘Fortress of the Sea’ – is the nation’s penultimate – and largest – Type 42 Destroyer. Following her upkeep in 2010, Edinburgh left UK waters as a fully trained unit ready for her role providing reassurance and protection to the Falkland Islands. After completing a successful six month deployment, the Ship’s Company enjoyed Christmas in the UK. She will prepare to re-deploy on operations towards the end of 2012.
-
HMS Liverpool
HMS Liverpool is the last survivor of the original Type 42 destroyers built in the 1970s and early 1980s. Known sometimes as the Crazy Red Chicken courtesy of the red Liver Bird on the ship’s badge, Liverpool is the only ‘shortened’ Type 42 still in service with the Royal Navy. At the start of 2011, she was preparing herself to sail with the Responsive Force Task Group on the Cougar deployment. As the events in Libya developed, the tasking was changed to provide the UK contribution to the NATO Op Unified Protector.
-
HMS Dragon
HMS Dragon is the fourth of the Navy’s six £1bn Type 45 destroyers. After arriving in her home base of Portsmouth she was easily recognised by the red dragons on her bow- put there in celebration of her name by the ship builder.
She was launched 17 November 2008 by her Lady Sponsor – Mrs Susie Boissier. The ship returned successful from her first period of contractor sea trials in early December 2010 during which time her propulsion systems were put through their paces and combat systems tested.
She is expected to join the Fleet in spring 2012.
Operations
-
Daring flies the flag on her debut in Jordan 09/02/2012
Britain’s most advanced warship has paid her first visit to Jordan on the latest stage of her maiden deployment. HMS Daring sailed into Aqaba where she trained with Jordanian counterparts, welcomed royalty and local VIPS, and gave her ship’s company the chance to visit the ancient city of Petra.
Read Full Story -
HMS Liverpool Shadows Russian Carrier07/02/2012
A British warship is dwarfed by the looming outline of a Russian aircraft carrier as it passes by the UK. The Royal Navy destroyer HMS Liverpool sailed alongside the Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov as she made her way north.
Read Full Story -
Illustrious is Arctic-bound for major war games03/02/2012
HMS Illustrious sails from Portsmouth today for two months of training culminating in large-scale Arctic war games. The helicopter carrier is working with Apache gunships and Sea Kings in the North Sea before moving on to the Norwegian fjords for NATO’s Exercise Cold Response.
Read Full Story -
Daring makes iconic passage of Suez to begin her deployment in earnest02/02/2012
HMS Daring has sailed through the Suez Canal for the first time as she begins her maiden deployment in earnest. It took 12 hours for the Type 45 destroyer to pass through the 120-mile canal linking the Mediterranean with the Middle East, where she’ll spend the next six months.
Read Full Story -
HMS Daring hones her skills in Crete before heading through Suez31/01/2012
Britain’s most advanced warship is enjoying her first foreign port on her maiden deployment as she gears up for seven demanding months east of Suez.HMS Daring is making full use of the NATO ranges at Souda Bay – used by all Royal Navy warships to fine tune ships and ship’s companies before heading to the Middle East.
Read Full Story
Current jobs
Chef – Catering Services Logistician
As a highly-trained Chef, you’ll be part of a busy team cooking and preparing firstclass food, making sure the ship’s company (which, on an aircraft carrier, could be up to 1000 people) receives three nutritious meals a day. It’s not...
More info
Communications Technician
As a Communications Technician, you’ll be an essential part of the intelligence organisation on the ship, using your skills and specialist equipment to gather and analyse information, which the Captain and Warfare Officers will use to make their decisions. Preparing...
More info
Logistics Officer
As a Logistics Officer, you’ll be responsible for making sure your ship has everything it needs, when it needs it, to stay effective on operations. Leading a team of highlytrained specialists, you’ll apply your organisational skills to stock your ship...
More info
