Type 45 Destroyer HMS Dragon was due to dock in Cardiff on Friday but it has been reported that “propulsion problems” mean the ship cannot travel.
A Royal Navy spokesman said:
“Dragon has unfortunately had a propulsion problem which unfortunately means she won’t be able to get into Cardiff, though we have tried everything to get her there. It’s just one of those things that happen. No one knew when she was going to break down.
It’s just unfortunate timing. We did our best to try and put it right but we can’t. The operational capacity of the ship has to come first. It’s regrettable she has had to pull out because a lot of people were looking forward to seeing the Dragon.”
Many news media outlets have reported the engineering problems with the Royal Navy’s warships, the Type 45’s. The papers say that the ships will have to be refitted at a cost of tens of millions of pounds because they keep breaking down.
Problems with the Type 45 destroyer’s specially-built advanced generators have plagued the ships since they were first commissioned in 2009.
The Ministry of Defence had this to say:
“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.”
The six ships which cost the taxpayer £1bn each are among the most advanced destroyers in the world. While a remedy is being worked on and the vessels will eventually be problem free, this will not be for a few years yet.
Not much a fan of the quote “…no one knew when she was going to break down…”
I can see this being ravaged by critics….
Geez, so that’s 2 out of 6 that can’t even leave port. I hope the Type 26s aren’t as poorly designed/built. Certainly, I’m aware the RN is building the two carriers, but it’s awfully sad to see 1/3 of the RNs already pitifully small modern surface fleet unable to leave the dock.
No Kirk, all of them can leave port.
“I hope the Type 26s aren’t as poorly designed/built”
As the best destroyer in the world you ignorant fool?
“1/3 of the RNs already pitifully small modern surface fleet unable to leave the dock”
Are you fucking retarded? The Royal Navy has over 80 surface ships not 6.
Shes currently in maintenance and has been doing sea trails after her refit, shes been out of Portsmouth several times in the last month.
Cost cutting this is the end result sorry but the defect problem should be sorted out by the company who built the engine installed it
correct.this is ridiculous..
I can’t believe that the water is too warm in Wales….
It’s all the dragonfire.
What are the boffins doing in bath sitting on their arses twiddling their fingers may it’s time some of these civil servants got their p45
You’re living in the past. The Mod sites in Bath are long gone.
Depressing 🙁
i know it,s new technology but surely anyone with a brain cell in there head would have come up with a back up plan in case it went south like it has….what could we do if we really needed them in action like say now……makes us as a country look stupid….where we have top notch equipment put cannot go anywhere…may as well cut holes in the sides and use oars and paddle our way around…
They should have retained the backup propulsion system, SAILS!
BAE order books for vessels are over flowing… what an embarrassment they are to the UK…
I wondered what happered to my Rover Metro engine.
They didn’t “cost” 1 billion each. They cost 675 million each plus nearly 2 billion in development expense mostly spent on PAAMS.
If more had been ordered, they would have cost less than 675 because the costs to build each ship were decreasing. In hind sight, not smart not to have built more.
Another one?
This is a complete embarrassment to UK they should all be returned to BAE. We once ruled the sea we cannot even get one ship to go to WALES we should stop BAE building any more ships for the RN we should request are money back and employ Bath Iron work in the US to build Arleigh Burkes we cannot expect these ships to escort new carriers as a carrier battle group if they cannot make a trip from Plymouth to Wales and we need 12 Arleigh Burkes to support the uk now we are out of the EU
“we should request are money back and employ Bath Iron work in the US ”
Why the FUCK would anyone do that when they are shit?
“we need 12 Arleigh Burkes”
We already have better ships colin; the Type 45s. They are better than the Arleigh Burke class.
Moron.
This is disgraceful! Any middle order manager would understand that as a matter of absolute urgency there is a need to rectify this problem now-not only for the Country’s security but to avoid having Billions of Pounds worth of equipment unusable!
We should stop BAE from building Uk Ships and buy from the US arleigh Burke class we need 12 ships that can support the carriers
Unbelievable, someone has been had, guess it’s the taxpayer.
These didn’t come out of the blue. She has been struggling with problems since her maintenance period. Just a couple of weekends she was anchored in the solent close to Portsmouth due to these problems.
Ironically she was a lot better before the refit!