B*N*S*N4 and B*N*S*N4(a)

HMS Dauntless commissioned into fleet

An Equipment and Logistics news article

3 Jun 10

HMS Dauntless, the second of the Royal Navy's new, formidable Type 45 destroyers, was formally commissioned into the fleet today, Thursday 3 June 2010.

HMS Dauntless and her crew at Portsmouth Naval Base
[Picture: LA(Phot) Hoare, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

Hundreds of guests including families of the 190-strong ship's company attended the colourful 'christening' ceremony at Portsmouth Naval Base.

Principal guests were Lady Mary Burnell-Nugent, the ship's sponsor who launched the ship at BAE Systems' Govan shipyard in Glasgow in January 2007, the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope, and Commander-in-Chief Fleet, Admiral Sir Trevor Soar.

The ceremony was conducted by the Venerable John Green, Chaplain of the Fleet.

Lady Burnell-Nugent inspected some of the crew on parade and also the Collingwood Royal Marines Band which provided musical accompaniment for the hour-long ceremony.

HMS Dauntless' Commanding Officer, Captain Richard Powell, read out the Commissioning Warrant and the ceremony was rounded off in traditional Royal Navy fashion with the cutting of a commissioning cake.

Lady Mary Burnell-Nugent, the ship's sponsor, inspects some of the crew on parade
[Picture: LA(Phot) Dave Jenkins, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

Performing the honour were the Commanding Officers's wife, Carolyn, and Engineering Technician Robert Clough, aged 17, who is the youngest member of the ship's company.

Captain Powell said today was a proud moment for all on board HMS Dauntless:

"The Type 45 destroyer represents the cutting-edge of air defence and propulsion technology and reflects the excellence of British manufacturing expertise delivering real operational capability.

"The ship is able to deal not only with today's threats but most importantly tomorrow's and will be a key element of the 21st century Royal Navy."

HMS Dauntless is the second of six Type 45 destroyers being built for the Royal Navy. All will be based in Portsmouth....

More here.

In a related news story (B*N*S*N4 (a):

HMS Nottingham takes a final bow

An Equipment and Logistics news article

24 Feb 10

After clocking up almost 700,000 nautical miles (1.3 million kilometres) on operations across the world over the last 30 years, Type 42 destroyer HMS Nottingham ended her career at a special decommissioning ceremony in Portsmouth recently.

HMS Nottingham's decommissioning ceremony at Her Majesty's Naval Base Portsmouth
[Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Dean Nixon, Crown Copyright/MOD 2010]

The Royal Navy is replacing the Type 42s with the Type 45 Daring class of destroyers.

The first of the Type 45 class - HMS Daring - made her first entry to her Portsmouth home in January last year.

Dauntless followed in December and sister ships Diamond, Dragon, Defender and Duncan are at various stages of build and will all enter service progressively through to the middle of the decade.

Among the guests at HMS Nottingham's decommissioning service at Portsmouth Naval Base was former First Sea Lord, Sir Henry Leach, whose wife, Lady Leach, launched the ship in February 1980.

Their daughter, Henrietta Wood, who is the ship's sponsor, was also present along with many of the ship's 15 former Commanding Officers. Representatives of the ship's affiliate organisations from the city of Nottingham also attended.

The decommissioning service was conducted by naval chaplain the Reverend Ralph Barber, with musical accompaniment by The Band of Her Majesty's Royal Marines, HMS Collingwood.

HMS Nottingham braves rough Atlantic seas during a high seas firing exercise (stock image)
[Picture: Leading Airman (Photographer) Ray Jones, Crown Copyright/MOD 2004]

The hour-long ceremony was rounded off in traditional Royal Navy fashion with the ceremonial cutting of a decommissioning cake. Performing the task was Mrs Wood and 18-year-old Engineering Technician James Deeley, the youngest sailor on board.

Commander Andrew Price, the ship's Commanding Officer, said:

"HMS Nottingham has served the Royal Navy proud since she was launched in 1980, serving throughout the world. My time as Commanding Officer has been one of the highlights of my naval career.

"Today is tinged with sadness as the ship's career comes to an end, but the new class of highly-capable Type 45 destroyers represent a step-change in technology relevant for the modern world."

Read more here.