Type 42 Destroyers

For nearly four decades the Type 42 Destroyer has been the mainstay of the Navy’s defence against air attack. Their Sea Dart missiles can down enemy aircraft and missiles – and have done so in the Falklands and Gulf Wars. Now in the twilight of their lives, the Type 42s have been the workhorses of the Fleet since the early 1970s. They carry out patrol and boarding operations, enforce United Nations embargoes and provide humanitarian aid. The remaining Type 42 destroyer is HMS Edinburgh which is due to decommission in June this year.