HMS Daring (D32)

For other ships of the same name, see HMS Daring.

HMS Daring outward bound from Portsmouth Naval Base, 01 March 2010. HMS Daring in 2010
Career (United Kingdom)
Operator:	Royal Navy
Ordered:	December 2000
Builder:	BAE Systems Naval Ships
Yard number:	1061
Laid down:	28 March 2003
Launched:	1 February 2006
Sponsored by:	Sophie, Countess of Wessex
Commissioned:	23 July 2009
Homeport:	HMNB Portsmouth
Identification:	Deck Code: DA Pennant number: D32 International callsign: GPLA IMO number: 4907749
Motto:	Splendide audax ("Finely Daring")
Status:	In Service
Badge:	On a Field Black, an arm and a hand in a cresset of fire all Proper 100px
General characteristics
Class and type:	Daring-class air-defence destroyer
Displacement:	7,500 tonnes (8,100 tonnes Full load) (both figures are 'start of life')
Length:	152.4 m (500 ft)
Beam:	21.2 m (70 ft)
Draught:	7.4 m (24 ft)
Propulsion:	2 Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines, Alstom electric motors
Speed:	29+ knots
Range:	7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at economical speed
Complement:	195 (including Lynx flight)
Sensors and processing systems:	SAMPSON radar S1850M 3D radar MFS 7000 Sonar
Electronic warfare and decoys:	Seagnat SSTD
Armament:	Provision for and fitted with; 1 x PAAMS Air Defence System SYLVER VLS of 48; (total of 48 anti air aster missiles) Aster 15 missiles - short to medium range. (2-30kms) Aster 30 missiles - long range missile. (3-120kms) Also anti ballistic capable. 2 x Phalanx CIWS (to be fitted by 2011-2015) 1 x BAE Systems 4.5 inch Mk 8 Mod. 1 gun 2 x 30 mm guns 2 x Miniguns and up to 6 x General Purpose Machine Guns Provision for but not fitted with; 2 x Quad Boeing AGM-84 Harpoon launchers (total of 8 harpoon missiles) BGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missiles (if VLS is upgraded or replaced)
Aircraft carried:	1 x Lynx HMA8 or 1 x Westland Merlin HM1 Armed with 4 x anti ship missiles 2 x anti submarine torpedoes

HMS Daring is the lead ship of the Type 45 or 'D' Class of air defence destroyer in the Royal Navy and the seventh ship to hold that name.

She was launched in 2006 on the Clyde and conducted contractor's sea trials during 2007 and 2008. She was handed over to the Royal Navy in December 2008, entered her base port of Portsmouth for the first time in January 2009 and was formally commissioned on 23 July 2009. As the lead ship of the first destroyer class built for the Royal Navy since the Type 42 in the 1970s, she has attracted significant media and public interest. The price tag of approximately £6.6 billion for the six ships represents a significant investment into the future needs of the Royal Navy.

Design

Stealth features

File:HMSDaring.jpg

HMS Daring embarking on sea trials in 2007

The most distinctive design point of Daring is her sleekly designed straight edges and superstructure free from clutter. This is designed to give the ship a low radar cross section - commonly called stealth features. Speculation by the press suggests that this design gives the ship the radar signature of a fishing boat.

Crew comforts

Daring has frequently been cited by the British press as being the first warship to include e-mail and entertainment systems (including iPod charging points) within the messdecks. These reports relate to 230 V domestic supplies and access to external e-mail, both of which have been common features in most RN vessels for several years.

Daring is, however, notable for being the first Royal Navy vessel to include gender-neutral living spaces to accommodate male and female crew members; communal shower and heads facilities have given way to individual cubicles, and six-person berths for Junior Ratings are far more flexible in accommodating a mixture of male and female sailors. Men and women will continue to sleep in separate spaces, in common with most other navies.

Advanced Air Defence

The Daring class is the most powerful air-defence warship in the world. The ship's capabilities centre on the SAMPSON multi-function radar which can detect hundreds of targets out to a distance of 400 km (250 miles) and the PAAMS missile system. In addition Daring's S1850M 3D air-surveillance radar is capable of detecting 1,000 targets at up to 400 km (250 miles). It is also capable of detecting outer-atmosphere objects such as ballistic missiles.

Weapons and Systems

Anti-air (PAAMS)

Sea Viper missile system.

• 1x SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar. - Range of 400 kilometres (250 miles).
• 1x S1850M 3D air surveillance radar. - Range of 400 kilometres (250 miles). Capable of tracking up to 1,000 targets, including outer atmosphere objects such as Ballistic missiles.
• 48 x Aster 15 and 30 missiles in a 48 cell SYLVER A50 vertical launcher. Missiles as follows;
  • Aster 15 - Short to medium range anti air missile. - Range of 2 - 30kms.
  • Aster 30 - Long range anti air missile. Also anti Ballistic missile capable. - Range of 3 - 120kms.

Anti-ship

• 4 x Sea Skua anti-ship missiles. On the embarked Lynx HMA 8 helicopter.
• 1 x 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun has an anti-ship role.
• 8 x RGM-84 Harpoon anti-ship missile. The Type 45 has the provision for a pair of quadruple launchers but there are currently no plans to fit this system.

Guns

• 1 x BAE Systems 4.5 inch Mk 8 mod 1 gun.
• 2 x Oerlikon 30 mm KCB guns on single DS-30B mounts.
• 2 x Miniguns and up to 6 x General Purpose Machine Guns
• 2 x Phalanx 20 mm close-in weapons systems. (To be fitted 2011-2015)

Anti-submarine

• 1 x MFS 7000 sonar
• 2 x Sting Ray torpedos. On the embarked Lynx HMA 8 helicopter or Merlin HM1 helicopter. The Merlin HM1 helicopter is fitted with its own dipping sonar and carries sonobuoys.

Construction and launch

Daring's construction began at the BAE Systems Naval Ships yard (now BAE Systems Surface Ships) at Scotstoun on the River Clyde in March 2003. The ship was launched at 14.21 GMT on 1 February 2006. HRH The Countess of Wessex was the ship's sponsor at her launch. On 16 November 2006, the Countess of Wessex brought Daring to life on her first official visit. On 17 November 2006 Her Royal Highness switched on the ship's diesel generators, part of the 'powering up' ceremony.

History

Trials

On 18 July 2007 Daring sailed on the first set of sea trials (Stage 1.1), successfully completing them 4 weeks later on 14 August 2007.. As she is the first in the class some structural areas needed to be tested, including the loads that the main 4.5 inch Mark 8 naval gun puts on the ship. During these trials, Daring reached her design speed of 29 knots (54 km/h) in 70 seconds and achieved a speed of 31.5 knots (58 km/h) in 120 seconds. She sailed for Stage 1.2 on 30 March 2008 and returned on 2 May. Stage 1.2 included trials on the Long Range Radar and navigation system, medium calibre gun blast trials, weapon alignment tests and endurance tests. Stage 1.3 trials were conducted between 26 August and 22 September 2008 and emphasis was placed on testing the full range of communications equipment. The ship's company used the opportunity to conduct familiarisation and training activities in preparation for the transfer of the vessel to the Royal Navy in December 2008. Stage 2 trials took place in 2009, now that the ship has been handed over to the Royal Navy.

Entering service

The navy's first Type 45 destroyer arrived in her home port of Portsmouth on 28 January 2009 to large crowds along the seafront. She was given the honour of a flypast to coincide with her passing of the Round Tower, just outside Portsmouth. Daring was formally commissioned on 23 July 2009 with Sophie, Countess of Wessex inspecting an Honour guard on the quayside and reception. The commissioning cake was cut by wife of the commanding officer and Able Seaman Daniel Small who was the youngest member of the ship’s company.

Affiliations

Ship's Sponsor

• HRH The Countess of Wessex

Official Affiliations

• City of Birmingham
• Guernsey
• The Royal Dragoon Guards
• No. 11 Squadron RAF
• HMS Forward (Birmingham Royal Naval Reserve)
• The Daring Association
• King Edward's School, Birmingham
• Knowle Sea Scout Group
• Worshipful Company of Carpenters (A City of London Livery Company)
• Birmingham University Royal Naval Unit
• The D-Boats Association
• Midland Naval Officers Association
• Daring Class Yachts

Other

While not officially affiliated with the football club Aston Villa F.C., the ship has close ties with the team. The chairman of the Birmingham based club, Randy Lerner, donated a painting to the ship that depicts a maritime battle played within Villa Park, the home stadium of the club. Members of the ship's company provided a guard of honour before a game against Middlesbrough F.C. on the Remembrance Sunday weekend.

File:HMS Daring (D32).JPG

HMS Daring being launched from YSLs Scotstoun yard.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

[[Commons: Category:HMS Daring (D32)

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• Official web page - RN
• BBC - Daring sea trials video
• Sky News - Photo gallery of Daring's sea trials
• Daring association website