HMS Dauntless is entering a three-month support period with BAE Systems aimed at returning the Type 45 destroyer to full operational capability, marking the latest phase in sustaining the Royal Navy’s principal air-defence warships.
The ship’s official X account said a meeting between HMS Dauntless and BAE Systems signalled the start of the focused maintenance period under the Royal Navy’s Total Availability construct. The work is intended to ensure the destroyer is fully prepared for future frontline tasking following recent operational commitments.
Excellent news: HMS Dauntless & BAE Systems meeting signals start of 3-month support period to return her to full operational capability. The Warship of Choice getting the care she deserves.🚢🔧 @RoyalNavy @BAESystemsplc#RoyalNavy #BAESystems #TotalAvailability pic.twitter.com/guCpaLj7n5
— HMS Dauntless (@HMSDauntless) February 27, 2026
Dauntless is the second of the Royal Navy’s six Daring-class guided missile destroyers, designed primarily to provide area air defence for carrier strike groups. Displacing between 8,000 and 8,500 tonnes and measuring over 152 metres in length, the class is built around the Sea Viper air defence system. This combines the SAMPSON multi-function radar and S1850M long-range surveillance radar with Aster 15 and Aster 30 missiles housed in 48 Sylver vertical launch cells.
The ships are powered by an integrated electric propulsion system driven by Rolls-Royce WR-21 gas turbines and diesel generators, delivering speeds in excess of 30 knots and a range of more than 7,000 nautical miles at cruising speed. A complement of around 190 personnel operate the vessel, with accommodation available for additional embarked staff.
Beyond her primary anti-air role, Dauntless carries a 4.5-inch Mark 8 naval gun, 30mm cannons, Phalanx close-in weapon systems and heavy machine guns. Anti-ship capability is set to transition to the Naval Strike Missile following the retirement of Harpoon. The class is also undergoing progressive upgrades, including the Sea Viper Evolution programme, which will enhance ballistic missile defence capability, and the introduction of Sea Ceptor to replace Aster 15 in due course.
A large flight deck and enclosed hangar allow operation of either a Wildcat helicopter armed with Martlet or Sea Venom missiles, or a Merlin helicopter equipped for anti-submarine warfare with torpedoes. Launched at Govan in 2007 and commissioned in 2010, HMS Dauntless deployed with the UK Carrier Strike Group during Operation HIGHMAST in the Indo-Pacific.
Down to 1 available destroyer again.
1 destroyer, 1-2 frigates, 1 submarine. Those are the UK’s currently deployed major combatants. Everything else relies on the OPVs.
2002. Type 45 Project, Key User Requitement Number 10: “The T45 shall have a 70% availability to contribute to Maritime Operations over a period of at least 25 years, of which at least 35% will be spent at sea.”
2006. The Commons Defence Select Committee was concerned about the governments decision in 2005 to cut the T45 order from 12 to “up to 8” ships. In written evidence the MOD says that due to their high serviceability, 8 T45’s would provide more operational ship days than the 12 much smaller and less capable T42’s that they were replacing.
What could possibly go wrong?
Always the standard excuse, more with less.
The ministers of that time should be hauled in and publicly shamed.
Well done HMG…👏 👏 👏 👏 👏 👏
Last 40 minutes seems to say the NMH contract is set to be worth about £1B
Will HMS Dauntless be the first Type 45 to solve the NSM conundrum. 🤔 😳?.
Here’s another thought – with the Type 23’s going OOS at a worrying rate,could there be a vital need to Re-instate the Type 45’s very basic Hull Sonar Capability,just to add some value to a diminishing ASW Fleet ?
Between 1984 and 2004 the RN continuously had at least one and often two T42’s stationed in the Arabian gulf. That would be in addition to one or two frigates and an RFA tanker. The COBRA meeting today must have been embarrassing for all concerned when the CDS had to admit that the only RN asset left in the region is one ancient MCMV, whilst dispatching the only available operational T45 (Duncan) to at least the Eastern Med would denude the UK of its only missile defence capability. Any pretence that the RN still “can do” has gone.
RB; I remember the first time I witnessed an Armilla handover. 2 Type 42s and a Type 22 taking over from a T42, a Type 22 and a Sea Wolf Leander. 6 ships and an RFA east of Suez in the GOO. The scene was repeated 4 or 5 months later when we handed over to the next group. I recall Admiral West saying that the T45s were so good, 6 replacing 12 Type 42s was fine. Such utter stupidity.
I gather that the Armilla Patrol briefly included up to 7 destroyers and frigates in the late 1980’s! When I arrived in Bahrain in 1994 it was Operation Kipion and excluding the Second Gulf War I don’t recollect more than 4 escorts and a RFA, except when a CVS was in the Gulf – which actually occurred quite frequently.
I think Armilla was always 3 but at handover there was aoviously 6 in the area simultaneously. In 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait. The Armilla group led by York with Battleaxe and Jupiter was there and returned home late after being relieved by the next group led by Gloucester with Cardiff (I think) and London was also sent and became Flagship for SNOME. They stayed for Granby and I was on the next Group of 3 which was led by Brilliant plus us on Brave and one other that I can’t remember but might have been Manchester. There were a lot of additional ships there in 1991; in all during that 8 months around 5 x Type 42s, 5 x Type 22s, half a dozen RFAs including Diligence, Argus, LSL, oilers and the MCMVs.
Thats right we need to refit a sonar capability. What about Camm. This seems to have stalled. What about Daring? The lesson here is to have multipurpose escorts. For me the T26 is short on Anti Air and should have had Sampson and 36 Mk 41 tubes.
I hope the T83 has some decent ASW and 96 Mk 41s. These seem to be reasonable and achievable for the UK.
The Type 45’s were built with a Bow Sonar, albeit a basic one, from what has been reported they are pretty much inactive,a lack of specialist Crew to operate them being suggested as a reason for this. With Sonar Specialists on the Type 23’s suddenly without Ships to Sail on, this should be an easy fix. The CAAM upgrade is progressing, though slowly. Dauntless won’t be getting that, 3 months is simply not enough time. Defender will be out this year being the first to have it done. As for Daring hopefully she will be available sometime this decade. 🙄😳
Jonno, the shear size of the data handling and the associated energy consumption is making GP ships less and less practical. The Aussies have messed-up their Hunter class, making them top heavy, noisier and slower than the Type 26 base design by throwing-on CEAFAR and the associated Aegis combat system. They’re also late, overly expensive and they’ve cut the numbers.