Photos have emerged showing the entire Royal Navy Type 45 Destroyer fleet in port, with many currently inactive.

All vessels in the class are visible in the above photo, HMS Duncan is harder to see as she’s located further into HMNB Portsmouth under repairs, the vessels radars is just visible in the photo.

Despite all Type 45 Destroyers being in Portsmouth, apart from HMS Dauntless, all the of the vessels are in their normal operating cycle.

HMS Diamond is currently hosting a ‘family day’ and has been at sea recently.

It is also understood that HMS Defender recently limped home from deployment on one engine, according to several personnel we’ve spoken to.

While a full remedy for their well known mechanical issues is being worked on and the vessel will eventually return to operations, currently a partial fix for the propulsion system has been put in place on most vessels.

The information comes from @NavyLookout on twitter, more can be found at savetheroyalnavy.org

It is also understood that HMS Defender recently limped home from deployment on one engine, according to several personnel we’ve spoken to.

The Type 45 destroyers are primarily designed for anti-air warfare with the capability to defend against sophisticated targets such as fighter aircraft, drones as well as highly manoeuvrable sea skimming anti-ship missiles travelling at supersonic speeds.

The Royal Navy describes the destroyers’ mission as being “to shield the Fleet from air attack”.

The engineering problems with the Type 45’s has been no secret, it was even addressed in the November 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review, which stated funding is to be made available for:

“A Type 45 machinery improvement package to deliver the most modern AAW and BMD platform in the world more reliably”.

It is understood that the ships will have to be refitted at a cost of tens of millions of pounds.

The Type 45s were the first complex warships to employ an integrated full electric propulsion, which uses gas turbines and diesel generators to power electric motors, which turn the propellers.

Problems with the system emerged during shore testing in 2005 and have been denting reliability of the destroyers ever since, with many having to cancel port visits, deployments and even come home early.

The Ministry of Defence had this to say:

“The Type 45 destroyers are hugely capable ships and have consistently made a difference to our safety and security, including HMS Defender’s support to US carrier operations against Daesh in the Gulf.

In our defence review last year we committed to improving the Type 45’s power and propulsion system through a series of machinery upgrades during planned maintenance, which will ensure increased availability and resilience over the life of the ships.”

HMS Ducan in drydock this evening. Copyright UK Defence Journal 2016 via Marcus Cribb.
HMS Ducan in drydock this evening. Copyright UK Defence Journal 2016.

It’s no secret that Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dauntless has endured the most issues relating to the widely reported propulsion issues currently found in the Type 45 Destroyers. While a remedy is being worked on and the vessel will eventually return to operations, this will not be for a few years yet.

A parliamentary written question has confirmed what many have feared, that the vessel will not be leaving Portsmouth for some time.

Asked by Douglas Chapman (MP for Dunfermline and West Fife)

“To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, whether HMS Dauntless is being used as a harbour training and accommodation ship.”

Answered by Philip Dunne (then Minister of State for Defence Procurement)

“The introduction of Engineering Training Ships is an important component of the Royal Navy’s comprehensive programme to improve training and career development opportunities by increasing training capacity.

Ships in the operating cycle immediately ahead of refit will be used to deliver training alongside home Bases and Ports. HMS DAUNTLESS entered this profile in February this year.”

A reduced Ship’s Company reside on board as normal, augmented by trainees who use the opportunity to gain experience through development activities in a realistic environment.”

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

One of the most controversial of her, until recently, frequent deploys was in January 2012, when it was announced that Dauntless would deploy to the South Atlantic to replace HMS Montrose which was stationed around the Falkland Islands. The deployment was condemned by the government of Argentina, which claimed that the UK was “militarising the South Atlantic”, despite the replacement representing only a modest increase in fighting capacity.

In 2015, Dauntless re-sailed for the Middle East after a short delay, with a plan to take part in the centenary of the Gallipoli Campaign. She conducted anti-piracy patrols, as well as escorting US Navy aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson.

While a remedy is being worked on and the vessel will eventually return to operations, this will not be for a few years yet.

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George has a degree in Cyber Security from Glasgow Caledonian University and has a keen interest in naval and cyber security matters and has appeared on national radio and television to discuss current events. George is on Twitter at @geoallison
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steven kirkland
steven kirkland
7 years ago

i can spot 5 🙂 wheres wolly?

Sean Anderson
7 years ago

Fiona Griffin

Chris Duncan
7 years ago

How embarrassing

Paul Laycock
7 years ago

That is a sizeable percentage of the entire RN fleet.

Ian Parkinson
Ian Parkinson
7 years ago
Reply to  Paul Laycock

It’s the new: Home Fleet!

Chris Conroy
7 years ago

That is completely shocking

Billy Gibson
7 years ago
Reply to  Chris Conroy

Blame the MOD and the government at the time of construction they were repeatedly told this was a major risk

Les Lewis
7 years ago
Reply to  Chris Conroy

The old labour government is to blame, they were designed and built under their watch.

charley
charley
7 years ago
Reply to  Les Lewis

They were not built under labour you title maybe designed but I doubt it

Bob Donaldson
7 years ago
Reply to  Chris Conroy

The labour or any other party or government are not ship builders they just sign the cheques.The naval advisers in the ministry of defence are the first line in warship requirements,spec and procurement.

Mark Mason
7 years ago

And not accurate.

Beno
Beno
7 years ago

“A modest increase in fighting capability”

Lol

Office of national statistics equated 1 Type 45 as equivalent to 5 Type 42’s

Luke Easton
7 years ago

Ross Caswell

Ross Caswell
7 years ago
Reply to  Luke Easton

Hahahahaha

Steve Jones
7 years ago

Will Jones Alice Brindley

Max Baker
7 years ago

Pathetic!!!!! What a complete disgrace these ships should be repaired now …it’s simply ludicrous

At this rate has queen Elizabeth won’t be leaving the Clyde at all because she won’t have anything to protect her … what a complete fuck up…

Callum Sweeney
7 years ago
Reply to  Max Baker

Forth*

Kieran Locke
7 years ago
Reply to  Max Baker

ohh if only someone like you was in charge hey. mr internet engineer.

Max Baker
7 years ago
Reply to  Max Baker

Nope not me … I do what I do and I do it very well…

However if people dont perform in my line of work they are out

This is not exceptable.. by any standards of any industry .. keep your jumped up smart arsed juvenile comments to yourself… cheers

Graham Hayward ex FAA.
Graham Hayward ex FAA.
7 years ago
Reply to  Max Baker

Here,Here you are correct in what you say Max.let’ have the facts before we make judgements,which are easy when you don’t know what the f you are talking about.

Graeme Crash Kydd
7 years ago
Reply to  Max Baker

Acceptable***

Stewart Gordon
Stewart Gordon
7 years ago
Reply to  Max Baker

Geography lesson required

Nigel R O'Connor
7 years ago

I would ask for my money back. Call in trading standards!

Billy Gibson
7 years ago

Nigel they will be asking themselves for the money back

BAE Systems told them not to buy the then new untested Rolls Royce engines and the MOD and Government instructed them to buy them
These engines are a one of a kind Rolls Royce stopped selling them after the T45 as they had issues

Ian Parkinson
Ian Parkinson
7 years ago
Reply to  Billy Gibson

The intercooler unit has a major design flaw and causes the GTs to fail occasionally.
Replacement of the WR-21 GTs is not a practical option. Instead additional or more powerful diesel generators will provide long-term redundancy and assurance that electrical supplies can be maintained in the event of GT failure.

Basically, the RN thought they were getting a Rolls Royce, and have ended up with a Trabant, regardless of the refit.

Nigel R O'Connor
7 years ago

I know, I was having a joke Billy!

Andrew Taylor-James
7 years ago

This really is unacceptable. Who is paying for repairs and loss of utility? Someone needs to ask an urgent question when parliament returns..

Billy Gibson
7 years ago

Andrew they will be asking themselves at BAE Systems told them not to buy the then new untested Rolls Royce engines and the MOD and Government instructed them to buy them
These engines are a one of a kind Rolls Royce stopped selling them after the T45 as they had issues

Dave Crook
7 years ago

Blame Geoff Hoon.

Stuart Jackson
7 years ago

Technical issues aside, must be a hell of a sight!

Ian Parkinson
Ian Parkinson
7 years ago
Reply to  Stuart Jackson

You mean: “Join the Royal Navy and see Portsmouth!”

Marcus Russell
7 years ago

John M Buckley

Mike Pryde
7 years ago

Ian Palmer Dean Naylor Spud Taff Sperduti Owen Smiles & all my other stokery friends, get you ovies back on, get down to Pompey & sort this out ⚓️??

Damian Halpin
7 years ago

I hope our new carriers will not be as unreliable as our destroyers. How long is it supposed to take to fix them? I keep seeing posts about how rubbish the Argentinean forces are, and here we are with our ultra modern ships that are just as useless…..

Nick Baddeley
7 years ago
Reply to  Damian Halpin

Carriers won’t have the manpower, too many engineers leaving the service

Tidewatch
Tidewatch
7 years ago

Does anyone,anywhere carry the can for this T45 fiasco? One wonders what major operational defects are currently being nurtured for the T26 and T31 Frigates. It is probably as well that the new RFA logistic support ships are having to be built abroad owing to our lack of capacity.
This great advertisement for the post Brexit “Buy British” campaign!

charley
charley
7 years ago
Reply to  Tidewatch

Them fucking Scottish they probably pissed from night before

Robert Moore
7 years ago

As said above, Geoff “buff” Hoon has a lot to answer for!

Mike Abo Hooper
7 years ago

Where are they?

Scavenge Rat
Scavenge Rat
7 years ago

HMS Queen Elizabeth to leave the Clyde? She has to get there first from Rosyth

Tristan Erwin
7 years ago

Wtf….. Uhhh where are the type 42’s??? Cuz apparently they are still needed

Tanzysmst
Tanzysmst
7 years ago
Reply to  Tristan Erwin

Converted to staples

Simon Curwood
7 years ago
Reply to  Tristan Erwin

They are on the end of my razor.

George Copeland
7 years ago

Easy target…

Kieran Locke
7 years ago

to be fair to mr hoon he decided to buy british to secure uk jobs. the exact thing you people are whining about didn’t happen when the tides were ordered in south korea. you lot cant have your cake and eat it.

Kieran Locke
7 years ago

also the type 45 contract saved roles Royce marine and lead to the development of the m30 turbine which is now one of the most successful marine turbines going so actually he saved a part of british manufacturing.

Andrew Kindness
7 years ago

FFS ! Get it sorted you cant project a Global influence on the cheap. Moral of the story is let military men make military procurement decisions not politicians who always have a seperate agenda !

Nick Taylor
7 years ago

John Bisset

Andrew Loftus
7 years ago

Ash Loftus, Lee Houghton

Will Edge
7 years ago

Simon O’Connor

Simon O'Connor
7 years ago
Reply to  Will Edge

Now following this page, a lot of good articles on here!

Peter Hayhurst
7 years ago

Great tell the entire world!

Stephen 'Joe' Fraser
7 years ago

I think you will find at least half of them are alongside so the Ships Co get some leave, either after or before deployment

John England
7 years ago

Hope the tax payer isn’t footing the bill for a dodgy build spec

Barry Wilson
7 years ago

Makes NOT good reading

Graeme Crash Kydd
7 years ago

Read the article in full and u see certain ones have just returned from deployment ffs

Also it’s rolls Royce propulsion system that’s caused all this .

Derek Haycock
7 years ago

Trying to put right poor build quality!

Graham Mann
7 years ago

We are the laughing stock of the world
What an embarrassment Great who?
We have a ramshackle Navy

Stian Nygaard
7 years ago

John Burke

Chad K Gray
7 years ago

I think the article is a bit misleading. This certainly isn’t a class that has the numbers of the US Navy Arleigh Burke class DDG’s. Being as there is such a small number of them, I can see it as quite possible all of them being in port at one time. It is certainly a capable ship and they all have first rate crews. I can see why it is a bit disconcerting.

Chad K Gray
7 years ago

What is the ASW capability of this class?

Eric Richmond
7 years ago

We can cover you until they are fixed with a few Arleigh Burkes. – America

Ian Henderson
7 years ago

Simon Wilf Wilcock

geoff
geoff
7 years ago

Nothing-I mean nothing in the Admirality’s list of priorities can be more important than undertaking the necessary repairs to the 45’s as a matter of urgency. To talk of almost new Billion pound vessels being out of service for ‘several years’ is simply unbelievable!

r lovell
7 years ago

Good job there aint a war going on, but there again there would be plenty gobbing off to the enemy

Paul Blackstock
Paul Blackstock
7 years ago

Why are we not claiming money back from designers and BAE

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Dave Clark
Dave Clark
7 years ago

When the T45s were in the conceptual phase, General Electric Marine Engines (under the ‘umbrella’ of GE Aircraft Engines – Military Engine Operations) spent a great deal of time, and resources, in convincing MOD procurement, that GE’s LM2500+ Single Annular Combustor (SAC) marine gas turbine was the best ‘package’. GE’s LM2500+G4, today, has an even higher output (providing an excellent EGT margin when gas generator inlet temperatures (T2) are high). This negates the need for ‘regulator limiting’ on temperature (T4.8) & instead on compressor delivery pressure (P4.8), gas generator speed (xNH), power turbine speed (xNPT). The core LM2500 (derived from… Read more »

Robert blay
Robert blay
7 years ago

It is also the navys summer leave period! Every single year it is very common to see more ships back at home in August after deployments, as most RN personel take there hard earned summer leave. and most will sail again in September. As a ex serving member of the RN I’m in a position to understand why these vessels are back home, and some of people’s uninformed message’s are truly pathetic.

Steve Hill
Steve Hill
7 years ago

Not the first time all 6 have been in at the same time. March 18th I sailed in Pompey on BF ship. They were all in then as well

trackback

[…] Friday, we published an article regarding all Type 45 Destroyers being in Portsmouth at the same time, the Ministry of Defence have […]