Type 45 Destroyer

"Daring" Class Type 45 Destroyer


The Type 45 Destroyer, also known as "Daring" Class Destroyers, is the Royal Navy's newest class of Air Defence Warships.

HMS Daring during Sea Trials

They are the largest destroyers ever built for the Royal Navy and are currently replacing the aging Type 42 fleet.
14 Type 42 Destroyers were built originally, with 2 being sunk in the Falkland War and several being decommissioned since.

HMS Cardiff - Type 42 Destroyer

Originally it was expected the MoD would replace Type-42 destroyers with 12 T45's (almost a like-for-like trade for the previous T42's). This was cut down to 8 in 2008, and again down to 6 causing controversy that the Royal Navy will be left with an insufficient number of ships to protect the fleet.

Each Type 45 can simultaneously track, engage and destroy more targets than 5 Type 42 Destroyers working together. Some justification can be seen in the above fact that a reduced fleet of 45s will be more capable than the previous full fleet of 42s.

"Daring" Class Destroyer. Britain's most advanced destroyer ever.

Specification:

Displacement:	7,500 tonnes (up to 8,100 Fully Loaded)
Length:	152.4m (500 ft)
Beam:	21.2m (69 ft 7 in)
Draught:	7.4m (24 ft 3 in)
Speed:	Excess of 29kn (33 mph)
Range:	7,000nm (13,000km @ 18kn)
Complement:	190 (accommodation for an extra 45)

 



Names 

The Type 45's will be called the following:

• HMS Daring	D32
  HMS Dauntless	D33
  HMS Diamond	D34
  HMS Dragon	D35
  HMS Defender	D36
  HMS Duncan	D37

   

Propulsion System


The T45 use an integrated electric propulsion system. 

• 2x Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbine alternators 
• 2x Wärtsilä 12V 200 diesel generators
• 2x Converteam advanced induction motors (with outputs of 20 MW (27,000 hp))

Aircraft

The flight deck of the T45 is big enough to accomodate aircraft up to the size of a Chinook.

Each destroyer will be able to operate:

• 2x Lynx HMA 8 Helicopters
• Sea Skua anti-ship missiles
• Sting Ray torpedoes 

Lynx HMA.8 - Type 45 can carry 2 of these at one time

• 1x Merlin HM1 Helicopter
• Sting Ray torpedoes
• Dipping Sonar
• Sonobuoys 

Merlin HM1 - Can be used for Anti Submarinne Warfare

Armament


Anti Air:

• Sea Viper missile system 
• SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar
• S1850M 3D air surveillance radar
• 48× MBDA Aster missiles (mix of Aster 15 and Aster 30) in six 8-cell SYLVER A50  vertical launchers. 

Sea Viper missile being launched from HMS Daring

Guns

• 1× BAE Systems 4.5 inch Mk 8 mod 1 gun. (The Darings are designed to accommodate a 155 mm gun upgrade currently being studied by the RN)
• 2× Oerlikon 30 mm KCB guns on single DS-30B mounts
• 2× Miniguns and up to 6× General Purpose Machine Guns
• 2× Phalanx 20 mm close-in weapons systems 

Anti-ship

• Fitted 'for but not with' 2× quadruple RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile launchers.
• The embarked Lynx HMA 8 helicopter is capable of carrying Sea Skua anti-ship missiles.
• The 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun has an anti-ship role. 

Anti-submarine 

• MFS 7000 sonar
• Helicopter Support (read Aircraft)  

HMS Daring alongside at HMNB Portsmout