What new Royal Navy surface ships and submarines were put into service ?
At our last meeting I spoke about the new Type 45 class of destroyers which will serve the Royal Navy into the middle of this century. The first of these, HMS DARING, was accepted into the Fleet in December last year and is currently undergoing sea trials. It is expected that she will be commissioned in 2010. A second ship, HMS DAUNTLESS, is also undergoing trials, while four others are at various stages of construction. There are plans to order a further two bringing the total number in class up to eight. These ships will be the largest and most powerful air defence destroyers ever operated by the Royal Navy, able to protect UK and allied/coalition forces at sea against the full range of enemy aircraft and anti-ship missiles, and also able to operate close inshore, giving air cover to British Forces engaged in the land battle. They will undertake a wide range of defence tasks around the globe supporting civil authorities in the UK and abroad through maritime security operations, while
