Diamond, the third Type 45 anti-air warfare destroyer built by BAE Systems for the Royal Navy, has set sail from the Clyde for the final time.
Diamond set off from the Company's Scotstoun yard on Friday 18th
September, with a combined BAE Systems and Royal Navy crew, as she
embarked on the journey to her new home port of Portsmouth, where
she will be formally handed over to the Royal Navy. Scores of
employees turned out to say farewell to the ship they have worked
on since first steel was cut back in May 2005.
Angus Holt, UK Programmes Director at BAE Systems Surface Ships,
said: "Diamond is a formidable ship and everyone involved can take
great pride in the part they have played in her design and build.
We are now moving to the next stage in our journey, as we use
expertise developed to date to deliver effective long-term
in-service support to Diamond and her sister ships to ensure they
are available whenever and wherever the Royal Navy needs
them."
Commanding Officer of Diamond, Commander Ian Clark, said: "We've
built strong links with the BAE Systems team over the last two
years and the Ship's Company are now raring to take ownership of
Diamond. The last few weeks have been busy completing our final
preparations to ensure that we're ready for the challenge of
transforming Diamond into an effective front-line warship, ready
for operations anywhere in the world."
BAE Systems is over half way through the programme to deliver six
Type 45 destroyers by the end of 2013. The first of class, HMS
Daring, entered service on 31 July and BAE Systems' engineers are
currently supporting the ship and her crew in preparation for her
first operational deployment, while HMS Dauntless, the second of
class, was handed over to the Royal Navy last December. The fourth
ship, Dragon, will undertake her first sea trials in November,
while outfit continues on Defender, the fifth ship in the class,
launched only last October at the company's Govan yard. The sixth
and final ship, Duncan, will be launched on 11 October.
As Class Output Manager for the fleet, BAE Systems will also
provide in-service support to the fleet. Working side by side with
the Royal Navy at Portsmouth Naval Base, the company's engineers
will coordinate all aspects of repair, maintenance and support to
improve ship availability and reduce through life support costs to
enable the Royal Navy to meeting its operational commitments around
the world.
The Type 45s will provide the backbone of the UK's naval air
defences for the next 30 years and beyond. The destroyers will be
capable of carrying out a wide range of operations, including
anti-piracy and anti-smuggling activities, disaster-relief work and
surveillance operations as well as high intensity war
fighting.
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.
Source: BAE
Systems