'Back at sea': Powerful HMS Duncan conducting trials after 'busy' maintenance period amid carrier op
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The Type 45 destroyer was previously firing its guns off the coast of Wales ahead of her spell at HMNB Portsmouth
A Royal Navy destroyer is back at sea after a spell alongside the naval base.
HMS Duncan is operational again following a spell on the side-lines. She departed from HMNB Portsmouth at short notice at 5pm yesterday evening (April 29).
A social media statement said: “HMS Duncan is back at sea. Following a busy and successful maintenance period, we’re now conducting sea trials as we continue our return to full readiness.”
What next for HMS Duncan?
At the time of writing, the Type 45 warship is at the Upper Harbour Ammunitioning Facility (UHAF) taking on supplies. She is due to leave the harbour again at 7pm later this evening (April 30). According to the King’s Harbour Master shipping movements, the Daring-class warship will be given a pilot and tug escort from Bountiful, Independent, and Christina.
Before going into maintenance, HMS Duncan conducted extensive gunnery exercises off the coast of Wales. She acted as the defender of critical undersea infrastructure against a wave of drones, aircraft, and missiles. The Daring-class destroyer tracked and neutralised five aerial targets during Exercise Sharpshooter, and sank two Hammerhead surfaced vessels.
Commanding Officer Commander Dan Lee previously said: “Sharpshooter was an invaluable opportunity to test our systems and our people in a demanding environment. The ship’s company rose to every challenge, delivering successful layered‑defence engagements while simultaneously dealing with realistic damage‑control scenarios. I am immensely proud of how the team performed; their dedication ensures that HMS Duncan remains ready to fight and ready to protect.”
The current state of Type 45 destroyers
A Daring-class destroyer joining HMS Prince of Wales when she takes charge of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) on Operation Firecrest. British forces will be conducting Nato patrols in the North Atlantic and High North, amid the growing presence of Russian in the region.
Navy Lookout reported that HMS Duncan will be the candidate to support the UKCSG later this year, though this has not been officially confirmed. HMS Dragon is currently in the eastern Mediterranean conducting security operations around Cyprus.
HMS Dauntless is currently undergoing a maintenance period, who previously worked alongside HMS Prince of Wales during Operation Highmast in the Indo-Pacific. The three other Type 45 destroyers, HMS Daring, Defender, and Diamond, are all in Portsmouth receiving Power Improvement Project (PIP) upgrades. This is to fix longstanding issues with her propulsion systems, with new engines due to be installed.