'New chapter' for HMS Daring as Royal Navy destroyer that spent over 3000 days on side-lines passed to crew
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A major milestone for a Royal Navy destroyer which has been stuck on the side-lines for years has been achieved.
The first of the Type 45 destroyers, HMS Daring, has been passed to its crew at HMNB Portsmouth. The previously dormant social media account, which has not posted since 2021, has been reactivated.
A statement from the crew said: “A new chapter begins for the First of Class! HMS Daring is now under care and protection of the Royal Navy.”
HMS Daring has spent more than 3000 days out of the Royal Navy fleet. Much of this time has been allocated to fixing the longstanding propulsion issues which has impacted the Daring-class ships. A design flaw in the Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbine intercooler unit has been causing power issues on all six vessels. Her Power Improvement Project (PIP) enhancements have been completed, restoring the might of her engines.
HMS Dauntless and HMS Dragon have undergone the same process, with HMS Diamond and Defender currently in the midst of these upgrades. HMS Daring was originally launched in February 2006, and has since spent more time going through maintenance and refits than at sea. A greater number of days have been spent modifying the ship than constructing her.
She was originally removed from service in April 2017 pending a refit. The Covid-19 pandemic caused various delays, with the 152.4m long vessel being towed to the Cammell Laird yard in Birkenhead, Merseyside. Upgrade work was completed in late 2022, and she returned to Portsmouth in early 2023. She has been in the final phase of regeneration work since. It’s hoped this will be completed by late 2026.
Her sister ship HMS Dauntless, who played a crucial role in the UK Carrier Strike group last year alongside HMS Prince of Wales, is currently training alongside the French Carrier FS Charles de Gaulle.
The Strategic Defence Review, published in June, stated the Type 45 destroyers will soon be used alongside autonomous systems. It said: “This should include exploring possible development from a Type 45 destroyer to a minimally crewed or autonomous air dominance system that could integrate directed energy weapons and enable better connectivity to other assets within the UK’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence system.”