HMS Dauntless (D33)

HMS Dauntless in 2012
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Dauntless
Ordered:	December 2000
Builder:	BAE Systems Surface Fleet Solutions
Yard number:	1062
Laid down:	28 August 2004
Launched:	23 January 2007
Commissioned:	3 June 2010
Identification:	Deck code: DT Pennant number: D33 International callsign: GPLB IMO number: 4907751
Motto:	Nil Desperandum Latin: "Never Despair"
Status:	In active service, as of 2014
Badge:
General characteristics
Class and type:	Type 45 Guided missile destroyer
Displacement:	8,000 to 8,500 t (8,400 long tons; 9,400 short tons)
Length:	152.4 m (500 ft 0 in)
Beam:	21.2 m (69 ft 7 in)
Draught:	7.4 m (24 ft 3 in)
Installed power:	2 × Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines, 21.5 MW (28,800 shp) each 2 × Wärtsilä 12V200 diesel generators, 2 MW (2,700 shp) each
Propulsion:	2 shafts integrated electric propulsion with 2 × Converteam electric motors, 20 MW (27,000 shp) each
Speed:	In excess of 30 kn (56 km/h; 35 mph)
Range:	In excess of 7,000 nautical miles (13,000 km) at 18 kn (33 km/h)
Complement:	191 (accommodation for up to 235)
Sensors and processing systems:	SAMPSON multi-function air tracking radar (Type 1045) S1850M 3-D air surveillance radar (Type 1046) Raytheon Integrated Bridge and Navigation System 2 × Raytheon AHRS INS (MINS 2) 2 × Raytheon I-band Radar (Type 1047) 1 × Raytheon E/F-band Radar (Type 1048) Ultra Electronics Series 2500 Electro-Optical Gun Control System (EOGCS) Ultra Electronics SML Technologies radar tracking system Ultra Electronics/EDO MFS-7000 sonar
Electronic warfare & decoys:	UAT Mod 2.0 (2.1 planned) AN/SSQ-130 Ship Signal Exploitation Equipment (SSEE) Increment F cryptologic exploitation system Seagnat Naval Decoy IDS300 Surface Ship Torpedo Defence
Armament:	Anti-air missiles: Sea Viper air defence system, with a 48-cell Sylver A50 VLS, for mix of up to 48: Aster 15 missiles (range 1.7–30 km) Aster 30 missiles (range 3–120 km) Anti-ship missiles: 2 × quad Harpoon launchers Guns: 1 × BAE 4.5 inch Mk 8 naval gun 2 × Oerlikon 30 mm guns 2 × Phalanx CIWS 2 × Miniguns 6 × General purpose machine guns
Aircraft carried:	1–2 × Lynx Wildcat, armed with: 4 × anti ship missiles, or 2 × anti submarine torpedoes or 1 × Westland Merlin, armed with: 4 × anti-submarine torpedoes
Aviation facilities:	Large flight deck Enclosed hangar

HMS Dauntless is the second ship of the Type 45 or Daring-class air-defence destroyers built for the 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.

Dauntless’s 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.

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.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. During her sea trials Dauntless made her inaugural visit to her affiliated city of Newcastle upon Tyne in May 2010.

Dauntless was commissioned on 3 June 2010 in the presence of her sponsor. 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, and the ship was accepted into service on 16 November the same year.

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

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