Navy's Defender sails for the first time
UNITED KINGDOM - 22 OCTOBER 2009
Thousands turned out on the banks of the Clyde yesterday to cheer on the first sailing of the latest ship to make up the Royal Navy's formidable new Type 45 destroyer class.
The 7,350-tonne vessel is the fifth of the new Type 45 class to be launched and will now undergo further fitting-out and sea trials before being commissioned into the Royal Navy in 2012.
She set sail for the first time yesterday, Wednesday 21 October 2009, following her construction at the BVT shipyard in Govan on the Clyde.
Commenting on the launch, Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, said:
"The thousands gathered here today to witness the launch of Defender is testament to the pride Scotland rightly takes in its shipbuilding industry which has seen a resurgence in recent times with the Type 45 build programme and the manufacture of the aircraft carriers that they will defend.
"Defender's affiliation with her 'hometown' of Glasgow will ensure these strong links live on and gives the Royal Navy the chance to give something back to the community that worked so hard to deliver her and her sister ships.
"The launch of the fifth ship is an exciting milestone as we draw nearer to the first of class HMS Daring entering into service in the New Year to begin her duties with the Royal Navy."
Defender was launched amid a cloud of balloons and fireworks by Lady Julie Massey, wife of the Deputy Head of the Navy Second Sea Lord Sir Alan Massey, to the fanfare of the Band of the Royal Marines.
Chief of Materiel Fleet, Vice Admiral Andrew Mathews, said:
"The Type 45 class is a most formidable ship. Her world-class Sea Viper missile system which can defend against multiple attacks by the most sophisticated anti-ship missiles bears out the title 'destroyer', while Defender's name hints to her main future role in providing air defence to the Navy's new aircraft carriers.
"Defender will be capable of carrying out a wide range of operations, including anti-piracy and anti-smuggling activities, disaster-relief work and surveillance operations, as well as high intensity warfighting."
As versatile as they are powerful, the Type 45s will have a range of capabilities.
They will be able to carry up to 60 Royal Marines Commandos and their equipment, and operate a Chinook-sized helicopter from the flight deck. The standards of accommodation are also able to exceed previous classes thanks to the ships' size.
Defender is the fifth ship of six in the Type 45 destroyer class.
Good progress is being made on the Type 45 build programme.
HMS Daring (ship one) has been commissioned into the Royal Navy and is on her final trials prior to her entering service, planned for February 2010. Dauntless (ship two) has recently completed two very successful sets of sea trials while Diamond (ship three) has just begun her sea trials. Dragon (ship four) was launched in Scotland at the end of 2008 and Duncan (ship six) is under construction in Govan.
The Type 45 will succeed the Royal Navy's long-serving Type 42 destroyers which were designed in the 1960s and came into service between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s.
When the Type 45 enters service it will provide the fleet with an air defence capability that is several orders of magnitude greater than that provided by the existing force of Type 42 destroyers.
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer Defender launches on the Clyde
Vice Admiral Andrew Mathews chats to schoolchildren ahead of Defender's launch at BVT Govan
Defender prepares to launch at the BVT shipyard in Govan
Source: U.K. Ministry Of Defence
UNITED KINGDOM - 22 OCTOBER 2009
Thousands turned out on the banks of the Clyde yesterday to cheer on the first sailing of the latest ship to make up the Royal Navy's formidable new Type 45 destroyer class.
The 7,350-tonne vessel is the fifth of the new Type 45 class to be launched and will now undergo further fitting-out and sea trials before being commissioned into the Royal Navy in 2012.
She set sail for the first time yesterday, Wednesday 21 October 2009, following her construction at the BVT shipyard in Govan on the Clyde.
Commenting on the launch, Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, said:
"The thousands gathered here today to witness the launch of Defender is testament to the pride Scotland rightly takes in its shipbuilding industry which has seen a resurgence in recent times with the Type 45 build programme and the manufacture of the aircraft carriers that they will defend.
"Defender's affiliation with her 'hometown' of Glasgow will ensure these strong links live on and gives the Royal Navy the chance to give something back to the community that worked so hard to deliver her and her sister ships.
"The launch of the fifth ship is an exciting milestone as we draw nearer to the first of class HMS Daring entering into service in the New Year to begin her duties with the Royal Navy."
Defender was launched amid a cloud of balloons and fireworks by Lady Julie Massey, wife of the Deputy Head of the Navy Second Sea Lord Sir Alan Massey, to the fanfare of the Band of the Royal Marines.
Chief of Materiel Fleet, Vice Admiral Andrew Mathews, said:
"The Type 45 class is a most formidable ship. Her world-class Sea Viper missile system which can defend against multiple attacks by the most sophisticated anti-ship missiles bears out the title 'destroyer', while Defender's name hints to her main future role in providing air defence to the Navy's new aircraft carriers.
"Defender will be capable of carrying out a wide range of operations, including anti-piracy and anti-smuggling activities, disaster-relief work and surveillance operations, as well as high intensity warfighting."
As versatile as they are powerful, the Type 45s will have a range of capabilities.
They will be able to carry up to 60 Royal Marines Commandos and their equipment, and operate a Chinook-sized helicopter from the flight deck. The standards of accommodation are also able to exceed previous classes thanks to the ships' size.
Defender is the fifth ship of six in the Type 45 destroyer class.
Good progress is being made on the Type 45 build programme.
HMS Daring (ship one) has been commissioned into the Royal Navy and is on her final trials prior to her entering service, planned for February 2010. Dauntless (ship two) has recently completed two very successful sets of sea trials while Diamond (ship three) has just begun her sea trials. Dragon (ship four) was launched in Scotland at the end of 2008 and Duncan (ship six) is under construction in Govan.
The Type 45 will succeed the Royal Navy's long-serving Type 42 destroyers which were designed in the 1960s and came into service between the mid-1970s and mid-1980s.
When the Type 45 enters service it will provide the fleet with an air defence capability that is several orders of magnitude greater than that provided by the existing force of Type 42 destroyers.
Royal Navy Type 45 destroyer Defender launches on the Clyde
Vice Admiral Andrew Mathews chats to schoolchildren ahead of Defender's launch at BVT Govan
Defender prepares to launch at the BVT shipyard in Govan
Source: U.K. Ministry Of Defence
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