HMS Daring, the first of the Royal Navy's new Type 45 destroyers, was launched on Feb. 1 by the Countess of Wessex at BAE Systems' Scotstoun shipyard in Glasgow. The vessel will be equipped with a state-of-the-art air defense system that will be able to track and destroy a target the size of a cricket ball traveling three times the speed of sound-—a quantum leap forward in capability for the Royal Navy. More than 490 feet long, weighing 7,000 tons, with a crew of 190 and a range of 7000 nautical miles; the HMS Daring, and the other Type 45 destroyers, are designed to be multiple-role vessels able to carry out a variety of tasks, from their primary air defense role to humanitarian and anti-smuggling roles.

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The cost of the first six ships is expected to be approximately £6 billion and their construction is expected to sustain more than 2,000 jobs on the River Clyde and approximately 650 at Vosper Thornycroft in Portsmouth. In addition, many other UK companies are benefiting from work on the program. The HMS Daring is expected to enter service in 2009 with the other ships coming into service progressively throughout the next decade.

The class is to be known as the 'D' class. HMS Daring, HMS Dauntless, HMS Diamond, HMS Dragon, HMS Defender and HMS Duncan have been announced as the names of the first six ships.

Weapons and systems include the principal anti-air missile system with the BAE Insyte SAMPSON multifunctional radar for surveillance and fire control, the Thales S1850M long-range radar for air/surface search; and the Sylver launcher and a combination of Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles. Other weapons systems include Helo-launched Stingray torpedoes; 4.5-inch Mk 8 (Mod 1) medium-caliber gun system; 30-mm small caliber gun system. The helicopter includes 1 Westland Lynx MHA 3/8 or 1 Merlin EH101 HAS 1.

The ships will be powered by the WR21 gas turbine and will reach speeds of up to 29 knots.