HMS Dauntless (D33)

History

HMS Dauntless is a Type 45 guided missile destroyer of the British Navy. The overall value of the Type 45 is also collectively referred to as "D" or "Darling" for the lead ship (HMS Daring (D32)). As guided-missile destroyers, they are more compact than frigates, and their weapons are carried by missiles rather than the more traditional projectile-based weapons.

In this way, the ships were used in an air defense role and as a defense against enemy surface ships at a distance. As of 2015, all six warships were still in service, with the first commissioned in July 2009 and the last commissioned in September 2013.

The HMS Dauntless is the second ship in its class.

Dauntless ordered December 2000, keel laid on August 28, 2004 at Shipyard #1062 by BAe Systems Surface Fleet Solutions. She was launched on January 23, 2007, and officially commissioned on June 3, 2010. Her motto is "Nil Desperandum", which means "Never Despair".

HMS Dauntless is based on a twin-shaft Integrated Electric Propulsion (IEP) arrangement consisting of 2 28,000 hp Rolls-Royce WR21 gas turbines, 2 2,700 hp Wartsila 12V200 diesel generators and 2 Convertam electric motors powered by 27,000 each Horsepower composition. This allows the vessel to reach speeds of up to 29 knots and a range of up to 7,000 nautical miles under ideal conditions.

HMS Dauntless' weapons suite is spearheaded by the 48-unit Sylver A50 Vertical Launch System (VLS), which will deliver the Aster 15 short-range and Aster 30 medium-range air-to-air missiles (AAM). Two Harpoon anti-ship quad launchers are used to engage enemy surface ships. More conventional (projectile) weapons are visible through BAE 4.5" Mk 8 deck guns with turrets, 2 x 30mm Oerlikon guns, 2 x Phalanx Close-In Weapon Systems (CIWS) and 2 x Miniguns.

For extreme close range For range defense or boarding/interception, the ship is also equipped with 6 x 7.62mm General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG).

HMS Dauntless is equipped with the latest sensors and processing systems. SAMPSON fit is used as a multifunctional air tracking radar, while the S1850M is a 3-D air surveillance radar system. Raytheon offers a pair of I-band radars as well as an E/F-band radar system.

Ultra Electronics 2500 Series Electro-Optical Weapon Control Systems (EOGCS), SML Technologies' Radar Tracking Kit and MFS-7000 Sonar Unit complete the complex system and subsystem suite in service. Electronic warfare and countermeasures are handled by UAT 16 series units, Surface Ship Torpedo Defense (SSTD) and Airborne Sys IDS300 decoy units.

The Dreadnought had a very long forecastle, the outline of which was broken by the 4.5" turret in the "A" position. The raised platform at the rear of the unit is the aforementioned Sylver VLS for the missile's primary payload. The "B" position of the front building is equipped with a Harpoon anti-ship missile launcher. The bridge structure is of a flat design, and the bridge itself is characterized by a series of rectangular windows. The superstructure is board-sided and fits nicely into the hull, while the main mast is closed, with a pyramidal design extending beyond the bridge area.

Surveillance and fire control radomes are located on top of the structure designed by Sampson. Under the sides of the mast are portholes with smaller SATCOM domes. The stern superstructure is integrated into the low-profile funnel, where the thinner mast can be seen. The air/surface search radar array is mounted above the stern superstructure.

The stern is occupied by a helicopter flight deck that receives part of the rear structure of a full service hangar. This supports the Westland Lynx or similar medium Navy helicopter. Your typical team members are 190 employees.

Dimensions include 500' length, 59.6' beam and 24.2' draft. Displacement 8800 tons (short).

The HMS Dauntless underwent sea trials in early 2010 and entered service at the end of the year. She completed the exercise in May 2011 and arrived in Norfolk, Virginia, USA in June 2011 for additional exercises with allies. She then stopped in London in September and was sent to the Falklands in January 2012. From there, she entered Middle Eastern waters, where she took part in the coalition anti-piracy operations she led until 2015.

Most recently, she escorted the USS Carl Vinson, the USS Carl Vinson, when warships of the USS Vinson attacked ISIS/ISIL targets in Iraq and Syria.

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