18 Jun 2007 | Ref. 198/2007
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Daring prepares to go to sea trials
The most advanced warship in the world to date, HMS Daring, will depart on her maiden voyage exactly one month from today, bang on schedule for delivery by the end of 2008.
The Daring Class Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyer is designed, built and assembled by BAE Systems on the Clyde with bow sections being towed up from VT Group’s facilities at Portsmouth to be joined to the rest of the hull.
HMS Daring, launched by HRH the Countess of Wessex in February 2006, is the first of class of the most capable warship of her type ever built. She is due to leave BAE Systems’ Scotstoun yard for the first time to begin sea trails on 18 July.
She will complete her trials off the west coast of Scotland and will be put through her paces by BAE Systems engineers and Royal Navy personnel, who will form her permanent crew.
Speaking ahead of the sea trials, BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions managing director Vic Emery said; “This is a very exciting period for BAE Systems, the MoD and the Royal Navy. As a first of class and, more importantly, the most advanced warship of her type, all eyes will be on HMS Daring as she heads out to sea for the first time.
“The next month will be when we do a lot of fine tuning to what is already a magnificent vessel before finally getting the opportunity to see exactly what she is made of.
“I’m delighted that the programme to date has been completed on time, on budget and to the customer’s specification, cementing our commitment to the Type 45 programme and the UK Defence Industrial Strategy.”
Following her sea-trials, HMS Daring will return to the Clyde for on-going integration and testing, prior to hand-over to the customer by the end of 2008 and entering full service with the Royal Navy in 2009.
The Type 45 programme will provide the Royal Navy with a versatile destroyer capable of contributing to worldwide maritime and joint operations for much of the first half of this century. As well as providing a specialist air warfare capability, they will also afford the fleet a general-purpose multi-role platform capable of performing tasks from peace support and defence diplomacy through to high-intensity warfare.
Key facts - Daring Class Type 45 Destroyer
Displacement c7350 tonnes deep displacement
Length 152.4m
Beam 21.2m
Speed 27 knots+
Range 7000 nautical miles at 18 knots
The Daring Class Type 45s have more than 20,000 power and data cables, stretching some 620kms. Laid end-to-end they would stretch from Glasgow to Bristol.
At 44 metres from keel to the top of the Sampson radar dome, the ship will be the equivalent of 12 stories high.
The ships are built in modular sections, with first steel cut on Daring in August 2003. The bow and mast sections are made by VT Shipbuilding in Portsmouth and transported over 500 miles to Glasgow by sea-going barge.
The Type 45 flight deck is large enough to park 20 London buses. More usefully, it is large enough to land a Chinook helicopter, although the ships will normally carry Merlin helicopters.
External communications include internet and video conferencing while deployed anywhere in the world. Comprehensive internal communications include full "wirefree" communications for tasks such as fire-fighting.
Propulsion
The Type 45 is the first front-line warship to use all-electric propulsion. The advantages are:
- Greater efficiency because the whole ship (propulsion, weapons and hotel) can be run off one of its two fuel-efficient gas turbine engines while cruising at approximately 18 knots).
- More reliability and lower cost through-life because there is no gearbox (which is a notorious source of mechanical problems and thus lay-ups)
Range
A Type 45 has a range of around 7000 nautical miles – that’s New York and back without refuelling. Compare this to a Type 42 with a range of around 4000 nautical miles.
Power
The Rolls-Royce WR21 gas turbines are about the most efficient available. Each gas turbine produces about 24 megawatts.
Stealth
The design incorporates stealth technology to reduce the chances of it being identified – this includes the cooling of exhaust gases to reduce the infra-red signature and avoiding the use of right angles to help to reduce the radar signature.
Materials
Although the Type 45 is one of the most advanced warships in the world it uses many standard materials from commercial shipbuilding to allows the maximum possible investment in the defensive systems.
Radar
The long range radar has a range of hundreds of kilometres. The multi-function radar is much lighter than previously used – this means it can be positioned much higher on the mast which increases its range. One of its main functions is to detect sea-skimming missiles and it is one of the most advanced in the world.
PAAMS
The principle anti-missile system can deal with multiple targets simultaneously and is the most advanced system of its kind in the world. It can identify and deal with more threats simultaneously and deploys missiles more quickly and effectively.
Aster missiles
The Type 45s missiles are 20 times more maneuverable than a Formula 1 car (pulling over 60G)
Living on board
The Type 45 offers each crewmember an average of 37 per cent more space than on previous ships with the amount of space now equivalent to the passenger space onboard commercial ferries. Type 45 is also the first UK warship with a dedicated gym onboard.
About BAE Systems:
BAE Systems is a global defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 88,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £13.7 billion pounds sterling (US25.4 billion dollars) in 2006.
For further information please contact:
Charles Thompson, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 141 957 4449 Mob: +44 (0) 07736 810933
charles.thompson2@baesystems.com
Mike Sweeney, BAE Systems
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 383074 Mob: +44 (0) 7801 716452
mike.sweeney2@baesystems.com
Issued by:
BAE Systems, Farnborough, Hampshire GU14 6YU, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1252 384710 Fax: +44 (0) 1252 383947
www.baesystems.com
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