The British Royal Navy’s six Type 45 Daring-class guided-missile destroyers were built to replace the 1970s/80s-era Type 42 Sheffield class, applying hard-earned lessons from the 1982 Falkland Islands War and after. The resulting warships are considered among the most impressive and capable air-defense assets in service with any navy today.
Construction on the Type 45s began in 2003 and ran for a decade. The lead destroyer, the Daring, entered service in 2009, followed by the Dauntless in 2010, the Diamond in 2011, the Dragon in 2012, and, finally, the Defender and Duncan (pictured) in 2013. Initial plans had called for as many as 12 ships, but cost escalation reduced this by half.
The Type 1045 Sampson active phased-array radar is installed high in the foremast to extend the radar horizon. It employs a rotating dual-facing/back-to-back antenna array, turning at 30 revolutions per minute to maintain 360-degree coverage. The Sea Viper missile system, also known as the Principle Anti-Air Missile System, was developed in cooperation with France and Italy to defend against high-performance air threats and saturation attacks from maneuvering supersonic antiship missiles.
Sea Viper incorporates a mix of Aster 30 and Aster 15 surface-to-air missiles housed in a 48-cell vertical launch system. The Aster 30 operates at a top speed of Mach 4.5 and can engage targets at ranges in excess of 65 nautical miles, while the shorter-range Aster 15 has a range of more than 16 nautical miles and top speed of Mach 3. Sea Viper can launch 8 missiles in less than ten seconds and control up to 16 missiles at a time.
The class carries a 4.5-inch multipurpose gun forward and 30-mm guns amidships, with provision for two quad canisters for Harpoon antiship missiles. Each also carries two 20-mm Phalanx close-in weapon systems (CIWS) for self-defense. Antisubmarine equipment includes a hull-mounted sonar system plus a landing deck and hangar for a single Merlin Mk 2 submarine hunter or two multipurpose Wildcat HMA Mk 2 maritime helicopters.
The Type 45 is powered by an integrated full electric propulsion system with two gas turbines and two diesel generators. Under ideal conditions, this permits a top speed of 30 knots and a cruising range of 7,000 nautical miles at 17 knots. Unfortunately, the propulsion system has proven highly problematic, resulting in breakdowns while under way. Work is now proceeding on a Power Improvement Project aimed at adding power-generation capability and enhancing resiliency through the early 2020s.
The Daring class displaces roughly 8,000 tons fully loaded and measures 500 feet long, with a 70-foot beam and an 18-foot draft. Ship’s company includes approximately 190 sailors and officers, with accommodations available for a total of 235 personnel.
