HMS Defender is gearing up to join a fleet review involving dozens of naval warships in India this week.
More than 70 ships will be taking part close to Visakhapatnam on the Indian coast. It will see Indian president Pranab Mukherjee conducting a three-hour inspection of the vessels from a patrol ship on Saturday morning.
Defender has been part of Operation Shader, being an air defence guard ship for the US Carrier Task Force 50. It sailed on in October 2015 for a second deployment to the Middle East region.
In November it was announced that  Defender would deploy alongside France’s Charles De Gaulle Carrier battle group, deployed off the coast of Syria as an air defence escort.
HMS Defender is the fifth of the Type 45 destroyer and is the eighth ship to bear the name. Construction of Defender began in 2006 and she was launched in 2009.
Why do British ships have the casing around missiles at the front whereas others (ie the US) don’t? It looks better but that’s probably not the reason.
Not sure on the official reasons… Part of me wants to say its added protection against the elements, Arms fire and perhaps make it more easier for the crew to perform duties regarding service of the missiles and silos…
Some US ships do not have vertical launch platforms and have individual angled launch systems. US ships like the Arleigh Burke Class have vertical launch systems, as do the Type 45 Destroyers. The Burkes have covers too, as do most of their destroyers and frigate
Unless it breaks down en-route
Paul you beat me to it I was going to say the same lol
Why go all the way to India. The cost is enormous. The ships should be in Greatb Britain ready to defend her against the COMING onslaught.
Idiot