UK's Fifth Type 45 Destroyer to be Launched at BVT Surface Fleet Shipyard
12:17 GMT, October 21, 2009 Glasgow, United Kingdom | Defender, the fifth of the Royal Navy’s Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyers, is set to launch from the BVT Surface Fleet shipyard at Govan on the Clyde today (21 October 2009).
The ship is affiliated to the cities of Glasgow and Exeter and will be launched by sponsor Lady Massey, wife of Vice Admiral Sir Alan Massey KCB CBE ADC, with thousands of people expected to join the celebrations.
Alan Johnston, Chief Executive of BVT Surface Fleet, said: “We’ve made huge strides in the Type 45 programme this year and continue to invest in the engineering and design skills of our employees to deliver the world-class capability to the Royal Navy to ensure it can meet its operational commitments around the world.
“The team has applied lessons learnt from earlier vessels, working in partnership with our customers and suppliers to get Defender to a much further advanced state at launch than the previous ships – a further reflection of our commitment to deliver all six Type 45s on time and on budget.”
Once in service, the fleet of six Type 45 destroyers will provide the backbone of the UK’s naval air defences for the next 30 years and beyond. Significant progress has been made in the Type 45 programme throughout this year and Defender’s launch marks another major achievement in the delivery of the most advanced warships in the world to the Royal Navy.
The first of class, HMS Daring was commissioned into service in July and will become operational in February. Second of class Dauntless has successfully completed sea trials and BVT is on course to hand her over to the Royal Navy in December, whilst Diamond sea trials, which began earlier this month, are progressing well. Dragon is undertaking machinery trials in Scotstoun, with sea trials expected to commence in summer 2010. Defender is 65% complete at launch, and units and blocks for Duncan, the final vessel, are under construction at Govan, with the first block on track to move to berth in January.
BVT last month also signed a £309m seven year support contract with the Ministry of Defence in a move that will provide the high quality through life support for the Type 45 fleet that’s essential to ensure that the Royal Navy can continue to deliver the high demands placed upon it around the world.
Each destroyer will be able to engage a large number of targets simultaneously, and defend aircraft carriers or groups of ships, such as an amphibious landing force, against the strongest future threats from the air. The vessels will contribute a specialist air warfare capability to worldwide maritime and joint operations until 2040.
Company or Organisation Portrait:
BVT Surface Fleet, a Joint Venture between BAE Systems and VT Group, is a leader in the design, manufacture, integration and support of naval ships, delivering complex engineering, integration and through-life support across the lifecycle of a vessel.
With operations in Glasgow, Portsmouth and Filton near Bristol, it employs over 7,000 people and has the facilities, skills and partnerships to set the global standard in excellence as a trusted and innovative through-life surface warship partner in both the UK and export markets.
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