HMS Daring (D32)

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

HMS Daring leaving Portsmouth Naval Base in 2010
Career (UK)
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:	The 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
General characteristics
Type:	Guided missile destroyer
Displacement:	8,000 tonnes, standard
Length:	152.4 m (500 ft 0 in)
Beam:	21.2 m (69 ft 7 in)
Draught:	7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
Propulsion:	2 shafts Integrated electric propulsion(IEP); 2× Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines, 21.5 MW (28,800 shp) each 2× Wärtsilä 12V200 diesel generators, 2 MW (2,700 shp) each 2× Converteam electric motors, 20 MW (27,000 shp) each
Speed:	In excess of 29 kn (54 km/h; 33 mph)
Range:	7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement:	190
Sensors and processing systems:	SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar (Type 1045) S1850M 3-D air surveillance radar (Type 1046) 2× Raytheon I-band Radar (Type 1047) 1× Raytheon E/F-band Radar (Type 1048) Ultra Electronics Series 2500 Electro-Optical Gun Control System (EOGCS) Ultra Electronics SML Technologies radar tracking system Ultra Electronics/EDO MFS-7000 sonar
Electronic warfare and decoys:	UAT16 Surface ship torpedo defence (SSTD) Airbone Sys IDS300 decoy
Armament:	Anti-air missiles; Sea Viper air defence system. 48 cell SYLVER A50 VLS, for a combination of 48; Aster 15 missiles (range 2-30 km) Aster 30 missiles (range 3-120 km) Guns; 1× BAE 4.5 inch Mk8 Mod. 1 gun 2× 30 mm guns 2× Phalanx CIWS 2× Miniguns 6× General-purpose machine guns Provision for but not fitted with; 2× Quad Boeing AGM-84 Harpoon launchers (8 anti-ship missiles) BGM-109 Tomahawk land attack cruise missiles
Aircraft carried:	1-2× Lynx HMA8, armed with; 4× Sea Skua anti ship missiles, or 2× anti submarine torpedoes or 1× Westland Merlin HM1,armed with; 4× anti submarine torpedoes
Aviation facilities:	Large flight deck Enclosed hangar

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.^{[citation needed]}

Operational history

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.

Sea 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, once the ship had been handed over to the Royal Navy.

Entering service

Daring on operations with USS Enterprise in 2010.

HMS Daring 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 The Countess of Wessex inspecting an honour guard on the quayside, and reception. The commissioning cake was cut by the wife of the commanding officer and Able Seaman Daniel Small, who was the youngest member of the ship’s company.

Daring was declared officially "in service" on 31 July 2010, and shortly afterwards on 7 September 2010 was involved in a collision with a tug whilst entering Marchwood Military Port in Southampton Water. The cause of the collision and the extent of the damage are yet to be determined.

Recent service

Daring fired her first Sea Viper missile in May 2011 during a test launch in the Outer Hebrides, after years of trials.

Daring has now been equipped with Phalanx CIWS mounted on either side of the superstructure.

On 6 January 2012, the Royal Navy announced that Daring would leave Portsmouth on 11 January 2012 to undertake her first mission, a deployment to the Persian Gulf. Daring travelled through the Suez Canal on 2 February 2012, then continued on to the Persian Gulf, replacing the Type 23 frigate that was on station there.

Design

Stealth features

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 are often considered the most powerful air-defence warships 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 mi) and the Sea Viper missile system. In addition Daring's S1850M 3D air-surveillance radar is capable of detecting 1,000 targets at up to 400 km (250 mi). It is also capable of detecting outer-atmosphere objects such as ballistic missiles.

Weapons and systems

Anti-air (Sea Viper)

Sea Viper missile system.

• 1x SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar - range of 400 kilometres (250 mi).
• 1x S1850M 3D air surveillance radar - range of 400 kilometres (250 mi). 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 – 30 km.
  • Aster 30 - Long range anti-air missile. Also anti-ballistic missile capable - range of 3 – 120 km.

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.

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.

Affiliations

Daring being launched from BAE Systems' Scotstoun yard.

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.

External links

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