HMS Daring (D32)

HMS Daring (D32) was the lead ship of the Type 45 destroyer class, also known as the Daring-class, built for the Royal Navy. As the first of her class, she represented a significant leap forward in Royal Navy air defence capabilities, incorporating the advanced Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS). Her service life included global deployments, participating in major exercises and providing security in key regions like the Persian Gulf before being decommissioned after just over a decade in active service.

Design and description

The design of HMS Daring was centered on the revolutionary SAMPSON multi-function air-traffic and target acquisition radar and the S1850M long-range radar, which together provided unparalleled situational awareness. These systems fed data to the Sea Viper missile system, the UK implementation of PAAMS, designed to counter sophisticated anti-ship missile threats. The ship's Integrated Electric Propulsion system, featuring powerful Rolls-Royce WR-21 intercooled-recuperated gas turbines and Converteam electric motors, offered enhanced fuel efficiency and flexibility. With a displacement of approximately 8,500 tonnes, a length of 152.4 meters, and a top speed in excess of 30 knots, her stealthy hull form significantly reduced her radar cross-section.

Construction and career

HMS Daring was ordered in December 2000 as part of a project originally managed by the prime contracting alliance BVT Surface Fleet. Her keel was laid on 28 March 2003 at the Barrow-in-Furness shipyard of what became BAE Systems Maritime – Naval Ships. The vessel was launched on 1 February 2006, with her sponsor being The Countess of Wessex. Following an extensive period of sea trials and working up, she was formally commissioned into the Royal Navy in a ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base on 23 July 2009, joining the First Destroyer Squadron.

Operational history

Following commissioning, HMS Daring embarked on a series of intensive trials and training periods, including the first live firing of a Aster 30 missile by a Type 45 destroyer in 2011. Her first major operational deployment was to the Persian Gulf in 2012, where she took over as the British Combined Task Force flagship, conducting maritime security patrols. In 2013, she provided air defence cover for the G8 summit held at Lough Erne. Further deployments saw her operate extensively in the Atlantic Ocean, participating in exercises like Joint Warrior and acting as a guard ship for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. In 2017, she was dispatched to the Caribbean in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma to provide humanitarian aid. Her final years included a deployment to the Asia-Pacific region in 2018 before entering a period of reduced readiness, leading to her decommissioning ceremony at Portsmouth on 10 February 2022.

Commanding officers

The first commanding officer of HMS Daring, from her commissioning until 2011, was Captain Paul Bennett. He was succeeded by Captain James Stride who commanded during her inaugural Gulf deployment. Subsequent captains included Commander Angus Essenhigh (who later became First Sea Lord), Captain Philip Dennis, and Commander Marcus Hember, who was her final commanding officer at decommissioning. Each officer oversaw significant phases of the ship's development, operational deployments, and technical evaluations.

Notes and references

Category:Type 45 destroyers Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness Category:2006 ships