Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond has now taken charge of a major NATO task force.
Diamond has assumed the role of flagship for a group of up to 14 warships from NATO countries that will operate in the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
The task group has three main roles – remain the high readiness force to react first in the event of a military or humanitarian crisis, deter illegal migration into Europe, and conduct engagement and exercise programmes with the UK’s NATO allies and partners to grow our ability to work together.
The warship relieves sister ship HMS Duncan, another Type 45 destroyer which has held the role of NATO flagship since June. Duncan handed over her flagship duties to Diamond when the two destroyers met up in Bar, Montenegro at the weekend. Diamond left Montenegro earlier.
Commander Ben Keith, the Commanding Officer of HMS Diamond, said:
“It is an enormous privilege to take over as flagship to a task group which is so important to the security of the UK and our NATO allies.
It’s an important task, one which ultimately helps keep Britain safe as we work around the clock to guard the oceans and put a stop to those who might otherwise do harm.
My ship’s company have trained hard to be ready to respond to anything that comes our way, and we look forward to putting those skills to use with our friends from other navies across the seas.”
The Commander of Standing NATO Maritime Group 2, Royal Navy Commodore James Morley, will now use HMS Diamond to direct a force of destroyers, frigates and patrol boats.
Harpoon might be as good as obsolete but the Type 45s look fantastic with the deck launchers fitted!
Looks like HMS Duncan on the left only has 1 harpoon launcher fitted.
Both ships have 2 launchers fitted in the picture.
They are fine looking ships aren’t they, just a shame there are only 6 in the fleet, the planned 8 would have come in very useful.
the initial 12 planned would have been even better.
If I remember rightly ships 7-8 were sacrificed to bring the type 26 build forward quicker, which now 5 of have since been sacrificed for the type 31 which has yet to be designed.
She looks beautiful. All fingers crossed that she and her sisters get worked up to their full potential.
This task group must be part of the 30 ships that the 1st Sea Lord has declared in the Telegraph as being part of the RN deployed overseas, hence we have managed to find a Commadore to command the thing.
Yes, they are.
Just think if we had not built these or the carriers but arhleigh burkes under license. We could have had a force 20 odd strong armed to the teeth with cruise and a BMD capability.
That is a navy.
Good to see proper use of these ships, making use of their impressive command/control facilities and without any mention of the – massively over hyped – propulsion problems. (Over zealous press again!) I wonder which one has the revised recuperators fitted to her GT’s?