HMS Dauntless (D33) explained

HMS Dauntless is the second ship of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence destroyers built for the British Royal Navy. She was launched at Govan in January 2007, was handed over to the Royal Navy on 3 December 2009 and was formally commissioned on 3 June 2010.

Construction

Dauntlesss construction began at the BAE Systems Naval Ships yard at Govan in August 2004 on the River Clyde. She was launched on 23 January 2007 at 3.25 pm by Lady Burnell-Nugent, wife of Admiral Sir James Burnell-Nugent, the then-Commander-in-Chief Fleet. Dauntless is the adopted warship of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Because her modules were put together outside at BAE Govan, it was possible to complete more of her structure than her sister ship, Daring, which was launched from the covered facility at Scotstoun the previous year.

Sea trials

Upon completing her fitting out stage, HMS Dauntless sailed from the Clyde for the first time on 14 November 2008 to conduct sea trials, testing power and propulsion, weapons and communications systems. Although not yet transferred to the Royal Navy, some of her future crew sailed with her.[1] Dauntless arrived at HMNB Portsmouth for the first time on 2 December 2009, and was formally handed over to the Ministry of Defence by her builders on 3 December 2009.[2] [3] During her sea trials Dauntless made her inaugural visit to her affiliated city of Newcastle upon Tyne in May 2010.

Operational history

Dauntless was commissioned on 3 June 2010 in the presence of her sponsor.[4] The MoD confirmed on 1 October 2010 that she had completed the first Sea Viper firing on a Hebridean firing range earlier in the week,[5] and the ship was accepted into service on 16 November the same year.[6]

In May 2011, Dauntless took part in Exercise Saxon Warrior in the Western Approaches, culminating in a so-called 'Thursday War'.[7]

In June 2011, Dauntless sailed across the Atlantic Ocean to Norfolk, Virginia, to take part in the FRUKUS war game exercises between Russia, France, the United States and the United Kingdom. En route in the Atlantic she rendezvoused and conducted manoeuvres with the, which was also heading for the FRUKUS exercises, conducting cross helicopter exercises which saw Dauntless two Lynx helicopters land on the Admiral Chabanenko. The deployment was the first time that two Lynxs had been deployed aboard a Type 45 destroyer.[8] [9]

In September 2011, Dauntless was the first of the Type 45 destroyers to visit London. She sailed up the Thames and berthed opposite London City Airport for the Defence and Security Equipment International event.[10] On 25 November 2011, HMS Dauntless hosted Abdullah Gül, President of the Republic of Turkey.[11]

In January 2012, it was announced that Dauntless would deploy to the South Atlantic to replace which was stationed around the Falkland Islands. The deployment was condemned by the government of Argentina, which claimed that the deployment represented a "militarization of the South Atlantic", despite the replacement representing only a modest increase in fighting capacity.[12] [13] [14]

Between 2011 and 2012 she was commanded by Captain William Warrender.[15]

In 2015, Dauntless re-sailed for the Middle East after a short delay, with a plan to take part in the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign.[16] She conducted anti-piracy patrols, as well as provide escort to U.S. Navy aircraft carrier which is involved in airstrikes against ISIL.[17] In November 2015, she participated with other NATO air defence ships in an "At Sea Demonstration", focusing on anti-ballistic missile warfare.[18]

In April 2016, The Independent stated that the vessel had been relegated to use as a training ship due to manpower and technical shortages, although this was disputed by the MOD at the time.[19] Her status as an engineering training ship pending entering refit was confirmed in June 2016.[20]

In 2019 Dauntless underwent a regeneration refit in Portsmouth before sailing to Birkenhead in May 2020 [21] as the first Type 45 to have new generators fitted under the Power Improvement Project. She left the shipyard on 14 June 2022 upon completion of the refit, and put to sea for the first time in two years.[22]

In May 2023, the destroyer deployed to the Caribbean for six months, taking over guardship duties there from which had temporarily deployed to the South Atlantic.[23] In September, the destroyer was involved in multiple operations that seized more than a tonne of cocaine from drug smugglers, worth over 140 million pounds.[24] In September the destroyer also visited the territories of Anguilla, Montserrat and the British Virgin Islands in order to assist local authorities in preparing for the climax of the hurricane season.[25]

The destroyer entered maintenance in 2023/24 and is reported as likely to be the first ship in her class to be fit with the Naval Strike Missile (NSM).[26]

Affiliations

Notes and References

  1. News: HMS Dauntless departs for trials as Dragon is prepared for launch . Damien . Henderson . 15 November 2008 . . 13 April 2019.
  2. Web site: Dauntless Enters Portsmouth . 2 December 2009 . Royal Navy . 2 December 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091204144310/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-events/rn-live/hms-dauntless-enters-portsmouth/*/changeNav/6568 . 4 December 2009.
  3. Web site: New warship handed over to Navy . 3 December 2009 . BBC News . 3 December 2009.
  4. Web site: HMS Dauntless commissioned into fleet . 3 June 2010 . Ministry of Defence . 27 September 2010.
  5. Web site: Sea Viper fired from Type 45 . 1 October 2010 . Defence Management . 19 November 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110709011515/http://www.defencemanagement.com/news_story.asp?id=14318 . 9 July 2011.
  6. News: Dauntless enters into service . 17 November 2010 . . 19 November 2010.
  7. News: George Bush bound for Portsmouth after war games with Royal Navy . 23 May 2011 . . 26 May 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110602004340/http://www.navynews.co.uk/news/1195-george-bush-bound-for-portsmouth-after-war-games-with-royal-navy.aspx . 2 June 2011.
  8. News: Tsar turn from Dauntless at war games . 22 June 2011 . . 22 June 2011 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110626152417/http://www.navynews.co.uk/news/1259-tsar-turn-from-dauntless-at-war-games.aspx . 26 June 2011.
  9. News: Lynx pairing helps Dauntless pass another milestone . 22 June 2011 . Navy News . 28 June 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120318093823/http://www.navynews.co.uk/news/1270-lynx-pairing-helps-dauntless-pass-another-milestone.aspx . 18 March 2012 . dead.
  10. Web site: London Calling For HMS Dauntless . 10 September 2011 . Royal Navy . 13 September 2011.
  11. Web site: Cumhurbaşkanı Gül, Portsmouth'taki Türk Deniz Şehitliği'ni Ziyaret Etti . President Gül Visited Turkish Naval Cemetery in Portsmouth . 24 November 2011 . Presidency of the Republic of Turkey . tr . 23 July 2016 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120130172513/http://www.tccb.gov.tr/haberler/170/81362/cumhurbaskani-gul-portsmouthtaki-turk-deniz-sehitligini-ziyaret-etti.html . 30 January 2012.
  12. News: HMS Dauntless to set sail for the Falklands as tensions build with Argentina . Michael . Powell . 31 January 2012 . The News . 23 July 2016.
  13. Web site: HMS Dauntless destroyer deployed to Falklands by navy . 31 January 2012 . BBC News . 13 April 2019.
  14. Web site: Downing Street denies UK is 'militarising' Falklands . 8 February 2012 . BBC News . 13 April 2019.
  15. Web site: Captain Will Warrender. 25 November 2011. Ships Monthly. 26 November 2017.
  16. Web site: HMS Dauntless sails to the Gulf for anti-piracy patrols . 2 January 2015 . Royal Navy . 23 July 2016.
  17. Web site: HMS Dauntless arrives East of Suez . 28 January 2015 . Royal Navy . 29 January 2015 . 3 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150403153321/http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-latest-activity/news/2015/january/28/150128-hms-dauntless-arrives-in-the-middle-east . dead .
  18. Web site: Successful completion of at Sea Demonstration . 3 November 2015 . Royal Navy . 23 July 2016.
  19. News: Falklands left with no Royal Navy protection for first time since war . Jamie . Merrill . 1 April 2016 . . 3 April 2016.
  20. HMS Dauntless: Written question – 40030 . House of Commons . 13 June 2016 . . Minister for Defence Procurement.
  21. Web site: Navy destroyer prone to breaking down leaves city for huge upgrade to her engines.
  22. Web site: HMS Dauntless back at sea after two years with engines fixed . U.K. Defence Journal . Allison . George . 15 June 2022.
  23. News: HMS Dauntless visits trio of Caribbean Islands in disaster relief preparation mission . 4 October 2023 . . 4 October 2023.
  24. Web site: Royal Navy hits drugs smugglers hard in double Caribbean bust . Royal Navy . 9 September 2023.
  25. News: HMS Dauntless visits trio of Caribbean Islands in disaster relief preparation mission . 4 October 2023 . . 4 October 2023.
  26. Web site: Snapshot: The Royal Navy escort fleet in April 2024 . Navy Lookout . 20 April 2024 . 21 April 2024.
  27. Web site: Affiliations . Royal Navy . 10 February 2013.
  28. Web site: Percy Hedley Foundation . Percy Hedley Foundation.

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