, The Royal Navy's newest warship, the Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless, was launched on the Clyde today by Lady Burnell-Nugent, wife of the Commander In Chief of the Fleet.
HMS Dauntless is the second of the new Type 45 class of Anti-Air Warfare Destroyers. The Type 45s are some of the most powerful destroyers ever built for the Royal Navy – they can sail over 600 miles a day and operate around the globe, and will be able to support global offensive and peacekeeping operations, combat drug smugglers and deliver humanitarian aid.
Armed Forces Minister, Adam Ingram said:
“We are currently investing in the biggest naval shipbuilding programme in decades, and the launch today of HMS Dauntless shows the world class ships we are proud to be delivering for the Royal Navy. This is an important milestone in the multi-billion pound Type 45 Destroyer programme, a project which will give the Royal Navy a class of one of the most advanced destroyers anywhere in the world.
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“HMS Dauntless is a world class piece of engineering, designed and built in Britain. The programme currently provides 3,000 shipbuilding jobs on the Clyde, 600 shipbuilding jobs in Portsmouth and many more jobs at sub-contractors around the country. The workforce involved in building the ship should be proud of their achievement.”
HMS Dauntless is fitted with a potent new air defence system able to track and destroy salvos of advanced supersonic missiles, keeping the fleet safe from air attack. Her air defence system is so advanced it can hit a target the size of a cricket ball travelling three times the speed of sound.
For the crew life has added comforts, including i-pod charging points, computer access, 5-Channel recreational audio, and larger berths. The ship also has her own hospital facilities.
