Type 45 reveals hidden depths

摘要

With the launch of HMS Daring, the first-of-class of the Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyer for the UK Royal Navy scheduled for February 1st, a recent briefing on her capabilities and potential capabilities has revealed hidden depths. With a basic displacement of 7,450 tons and a length of 152.4m, the Daring class will be a long over-due replacement for the venerable Type 42s. HMS Daring will be the first all-electric warship in Royal Navy service (the propulsion spaces protected by ceramic armour) and contracts have been placed for six ships in Batches 1 and 2 with a potential Batch 3 of two ships. HMS Daring is scheduled for commissioning in November 2007 followed by extensive trials until her in-service date of May 2009. However, it was recently revealed that tests of the Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS), based upon the Sampson E/F-band multi-function radar, have slipped a year, although manufacturers BAE Systems/MBDA and the Ministry of Defence have stated this would not cause a slippage of the in-service date.