A new era in British warship construction has been announced with the launch of HMS Daring ….

The beginning of February 2006 saw the launch of HMS Daring into the Clyde River at Glasgow. This is the first of the Type-45 destroyers, which measures a colossal 153 metres in length, weighs 7,350 tonnes and costs an equally immense £650 million. BAE Systems intend to produce a further seven Type-45 destroyers within the next ten years which marks the start of a £6 billion project to equip the Royal Navy with a totally new class of warships.

The Countess of Wessex attended the ceremony along with more than 11,000 on-lookers as the ship surged into the Clyde. Due to the narrow river, the ship had to be restrained with numerous chains to stop it from colliding with the dock.

HMS Daring is the most powerful frontline warship since WWII and is regarded as strong acknowledgment of the highly skilled British ship building industry.

Proving that it is more than brawn alone, the Type-45 took to the water as the worlds most advanced air defence ship, boasting a hugely powerful radar, stealth technology, all-electric propulsion and anti-aircraft missile systems.

Sea trials are expected to start in 2007 when the true capabilities of the T-45 will be tested. In addition, there will be two new aircraft carriers built along with Astute submarines and a supply ship project known as MARS (Military Afloat Reach and Sustainability) which will cost over £2 billion.

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