The Royal Navy's newest and most advanced warship was finally commissioned into the fleet yesterday
The Royal Navy’s newest and most advanced warship,HMS Daring, was officially commissioned into the fleet yesterday in a ceremony attended by the Countess of Wessex.
Hundreds of guests, including families of the 190 ship’s company, attended the ‘christening’ ceremony for the £650m Type 45 destroyer at Victoria Jetty, at Portsmouth Naval Base.
HMS Daring’s commanding officer, Captain Paddy McAlpine read the Commissioning Warrant and the ceremony included a flypast by two typhoon aircraft from 11 Squadron RAF, which is affiliated to the ship.
Capt McAlpine said, “I am fortunate to have an excellent ship’s company who are all working extremely hard to bringHMS Daring, the first of its class, into service so that she may continue to contribute to the navy’s global commitments and provide air defence at a level previously unseen.”
The Countess of Wessex inspected a Guard of Honour and the Band of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines, Portsmouth, before boardingHMS Daring.
HMS Daringis the first of six Type 45 destroyers, which will be based in Portsmouth. The second,HMS Dauntless, is due to take her first entrance into Portsmouth next year. The ships are to be armed with a new hi-tech missile system called the Sea Viper.
