British destroyer ‘opens fire’ in Pacific

HMS Dauntless, one of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 destroyers, has successfully carried out live-fire exercises during Operation Highmast.

According to the Royal Navy, the gunnery serials took place on 6 July 2025 and included engagements using General Purpose Machine Guns (GPMG), Heavy Machine Guns (HMG), and the ship’s 30mm cannons against floating targets. These activities form part of the ship’s routine combat readiness drills as it escorts the UK Carrier Strike Group on its flagship deployment of the year.

🛳️ HMS Dauntless has conducted live-fire gunnery drills during #OperationHighmast, targeting floating threats with GPMGs, HMGs, and 30mm cannons. The Type 45 destroyer is deployed with the UK Carrier Strike Group on its 2025 Indo-Pacific mission. #CSG25 pic.twitter.com/ubrE6vGbAg

— UK Defence Journal (@UKDefJournal) July 30, 2025

Operation Highmast is an eight-month task group mission led by HMS Prince of Wales and supported by ships, aircraft, and personnel from over a dozen allied nations.

The deployment will span the Mediterranean, Middle East, and Indo-Pacific, culminating in joint exercises with key regional partners. It includes over 4,500 UK military personnel: approximately 2,500 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines, 600 Royal Air Force personnel, and 900 soldiers.

Alongside large-scale training serials, the task group will also support diplomatic port visits and promote British defence exports.

HMS Dauntless is currently commanded by Commander Ben Dorrington and plays a key role in the group’s layered air defence posture. She was launched in Govan in January 2007, formally handed over in December 2009, and commissioned into Royal Navy service on 3 June 2010.

The ship herself

HMS Dauntless is a 152.4-metre-long guided missile destroyer with a displacement of between 8,000 and 8,500 tonnes. Designed for fleet-wide air defence, she is powered by two Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines and three MTU diesel generators, driving two Converteam electric motors for a top speed exceeding 30 knots. She has a range of over 7,000 nautical miles at 18 knots and accommodates a standard crew of 191, with berths for up to 235.

Her primary sensors include the SAMPSON multi-function radar, the S1850M long-range air surveillance radar, and a suite of navigation and targeting systems. She is armed with the Sea Viper air-defence system, which uses the Sylver A50 vertical launch system to fire Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles, with the latter being upgraded for ballistic missile defence under the Sea Viper Evolution programme.

In addition to her missile systems, HMS Dauntless carries a 4.5-inch Mark 8 naval gun, two 30mm DS30B guns, two Phalanx close-in weapon systems, six 7.62mm general purpose machine guns, and other small arms. She is also capable of embarking a Merlin or Wildcat helicopter, which may be armed with Martlet, Sea Venom, or anti-submarine torpedoes. Aviation facilities include a flight deck and enclosed hangar.

Future enhancements to the class include the integration of Sea Ceptor missiles to replace the Aster 15, and the planned installation of the Naval Strike Missile to restore a surface strike capability lost with the retirement of Harpoon in 2023.

HMS Dauntless’s contribution to Operation Highmast reflects the Type 45’s central role in protecting high-value assets, including the carrier herself, and providing long-range air defence for joint maritime task groups.