BAE Systems, The world’s most advanced warship, HMS Daring, has completed her stage one sea trials and has received glowing reports after performing above all expectations.
The high standard of the ship’s overall design is such that not a single one of her almost 800 compartments exceeds the habitability standards for vibration when operating at full power. Such an achievement would be unlikely on a luxury yacht and is a unique achievement for such a large, complex and powerful warship.
The first of the new Type 45 Daring Class destroyers has been put through her paces off the west coast of Scotland by BAE Systems engineers and the Royal Navy personnel who will form her permanent crew once she enters service in 2009.
Trials began on 18th July and have focused on testing the ‘ship’ part of ‘warship’ – the platform itself; propulsion systems, controls, key weapons engineering systems, navigation, radars and gyros, as well as the habitability of the ship including the galley, cabins, sewage treatment plant, ventilation and lighting.
Some of HMS Daring’s achievements are:
— Against an initial design target of 28 knots, the ship has already comfortably exceeded 30 knots
— HMS Daring reached top speed in little over two minutes from a standing start, an outstanding performance for such a large ship.
— The ship has spent two days at the Benbecula range in the North Atlantic trialling its 4.5 inch gun and twin small calibre guns on the port and starboard sides.
On her return to Scotstoun, HMS Daring will continue with her systems integration and testing prior to stage two trialling in March 2008.
Commenting on the performance of HMS Daring, Commander David Shutts, the ship’s senior Royal Navy officer, said: “It is early days in her life, but Daring has already lived up to the high standards that we have set for her. She promises to be a tremendous asset for the Royal Navy and the men and women who will serve on her.”
BAE Systems Type 45 chief engineer David Downs said: “Delivering any programme as complex as the Type 45 presents huge challenges. To know that we are meeting those challenges and remain on target to deliver these superb ships to the Royal Navy is a huge boost to everyone on ‘Team Daring’.”
BAE Systems is the premier global defence and aerospace company delivering a full range of products and services for air, land and naval forces, as well as advanced electronics, information technology solutions and customer support services. With 96,000 employees worldwide, BAE Systems' sales exceeded £15 billion (US $27 billion) in 2006 (On a pro forma basis, assuming BAE Systems had owned Armor for the whole of 2006).
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