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The United Kingdom's Type 45 Destroyer is the state-of-the art future air defence destroyer programme of the Royal Navy. The first Type 45 Destroyer was launched on Febuary 1st, 2006 and is expected to come into service in 2009.
Background
Originally conceived under the multi-national 'Horizon' project, from which the UK withdrew, the Daring Class destroyers represent the largest escorts ever built for the RN, second only to the Tiger class guided missile cruisers of the post-Second World War era.
Six ships have been ordered and a total of eight are expected to enter service by 2014. The original planned purchase of twelve was reduced in the Ministry of Defence's Delivering Security in a Changing World: Future Capabilities review, published in July 2004. The Type 45 design utilises the Principle Anti-Air Missile System, PAAMS, a joint British/French/Italian design, which comprises the SAMPSON fire control and tracking radar, MBDA Aster 15 and 30 missile systems and the 48-cell SYLVER vertical missile launcher, giving the Type 45 both short-range and long-range anti-air capability. The PAAMS system is able to control and coordinate several missiles in the air at once, allowing several tracks to be intercepted, and the SYLVER missile launcher can be upgraded in the future to add more modern weapons if necessary (as they become available).
The Type 45 destroyers will replace the Type 42 Destroyers currently in service with the Royal Navy. The First two, Daring and Dauntless will enter sevice in 2009 and 2010 respectively. The Type 45 may also be given cruise missile launchers if the need arises in the future, the French Navy is in the process of adapting the Storm Shadow cruise missile (already operated by the RAF) for firing from Sylver launchers — as fitted to the Type 45 class.
The UK had sought to procure the ships in collaboration with 7 other NATO nations under the NFR-90 project and then with France and Italy through the Horizon CNGF programme, however differing national requirements, workshare arguments and delays led to the UK withdrawing from both and starting its own national project.
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Design
The Type 45 destroyers will be 152.4 m in length, with a beam of 21.2 m and a draught of 5.0 m. This makes them significantly larger than the Type 42 destroyers they replace, displacing 7,350 tonnes compared to 5,200 tonnes of the Type 42.The Type 45 destroyers are the first British Warships built to meet the hull requirements of Lloyd's Register's Naval Rules.
The Type 23 frigates were the first British warships to incorporate signature reduction technology, with the large 7° angle of the bow, the elimination of right angles and reduced equipment on deck. The propulsion system was also chosen to minimise noise, with electric generators providing minimal acoustic signature for anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions. Infrared signature is reduced by cooling devices on the funnels.
The design of the Type 45 brings new levels of signature reduction to the Royal Navy. The equipment on the deck is reduced further, producing a very "clean" superstructure similar to the La Fayette class of frigates. There is reduced equipment located on the mast and all docking equipment and life rafts are hidden behind doors.
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Construction
The ships are built by an alliance of BAE Systems Naval Ships and VT Group. Each of BAE's two Glasgow shipyards and VT at Portsmouth are responsible for different "blocks".
BAE Systems Naval Ships (Govan)
Block A (stern to edge of helicopter hangar)
BAE Systems Naval Ships (Scotstoun)
Blocks B/C (a 2600 tonne section which contains the WR-21 gas turbines, starts with the helicopter hangar to the bridge section)
Block D (bridge section)
VT Group (Portsmouth)
Blocks E/F (bridge to the bow)
Funnels and masts
Block A is assembled at Govan and moved to Scotstoun where it is mated to the Block B/C, which is already fitted with the WR-21 turbines and machinery. Block D, also assembled at Scotstoun is fitted to these three blocks. The bow sections (E/F) are mated at VT's facility at Portsmouth and taken by barge to Scotsoun. This is the final block to be attached.
At this point the basic ship is launched into the Clyde and towed to the Govan Wet Basin where the masts and funnels are fitted (the masts are partially outfitted with equipment, for example the mast for the S1850M radar is sent from Portsmouth to Thales Nederland to be fitted with radar equipment). Once this is complete the ship is taken to dry dock at Scotstoun where the remaining eqipment is fitted; radar arrays (SAMPSON and S1850), bulbous bow, propellers, missile equipment and 4.5 inch naval gun.
This construction arrangement was agreed in February 2002. However when the orginal contract for three ships was signed in July 2000, BAE was to build the first and third ships, and VT (then Vosper Thornycroft) was to build the second.
HMS Daring was succesfully launched on February 1st 2006, ready for fitting out. The event attracted considerable local attention and media coverage due to the relative rarity of a launch into the Clyde in the 2000s.
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Armament
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Anti aircraft
SAMPSON multi-function radar tracks airborne targets
S1850M 3D air search radar
48 Aster missiles; a mix of Aster 15 and Aster 30
2 Phalanx CIWS (Close-in weapons system)
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Decoys
The sophisticated Seagnat decoy system allows for the seduction and distraction of radar guided weapons, through active and passive means. An infra-red 'spoofing' device is planed for future retrofits.
Active torpedo decoy system.
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Guns
BAE Systems 114 mm (4.5 inch) Mk 8 Mod. 1 gun
2 x 30 mm guns
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Aircraft
1 Lynx HMA 8 helicopter This will carry Sea Skua anti-ship missiles and Sting Ray torpedoes.
The Merlin helicopter (a derivative of the EH101) will apparently not be carried at first; the PRISM deck handling device and other necessary systems have been deleted from the design as a cost-saving measure. This capability may be retro-fitted at a later date, or included in later units of the class.
The flight deck of the Type 45 will be big enough to accommodate a Chinook.
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Anti Ship Missiles
Space for 8 AGM-84 Harpoon
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Torpedoes
Fitted 'for but not with' ship launched torpedo system.
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Other
MFS 7000 sonar
The ships will have room to carry 60 Royal Marines and their equipment.
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Propulsion
Rolls-Royce/Northrop Grumman WR-21 Advanced gas turbine with ICR (Intercooler Recuperator.)
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