Royal Navy: HMS Dauntless leaves Portsmouth to join HMS Prince of Wales on exercise after sea trials
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A Royal Navy destroyer has left her home base in Portsmouth to take part in a major exercise.
HMS Dauntless sailed past The Round Tower in Old Portsmouth just after 3.15pm this afternoon (October 14). Family and friends gathered to watch personnel leave the city. The Type 45 Daring-class destroyer will be part of the UK Carrier Strike Group (UKCSG) - participating in Exercise Strike Warrior in the North Sea. She recently carried out sea trials in preparation for the exercise.
Being lead by aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales, the Carrier Strike Group will join Nato warships from Standing NATO Maritime Group 1 - the alliance’s premier task force in Northern European waters - to complete a range of warfare and tactical scenarios. The aptitude of the personnel will be tested in regards to anti-submarine warfare, countering attacks from un-crewed systems, air defence exercises and pilot rescues. They will also practice sailing through narrow straits while under threat from opposing forces.
F-35B Lightning jets, frigates, destroyers, submarines, Royal Fleet Auxiliary tankers, and helicopters will operate alongside the aircraft carrier. HMS Dauntless will be taking on air defence roles as part of the task group, equipped with her Sampson radars and Sea Viper missiles. Both systems proved vital for her sister ship HMS Diamond, who used them to great effect against missiles and drones launched by Houthi rebels while on deployment in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.
Exercise Strike Warrior is being carried out as part of preparations for a Japan and Indo-Pacific deployment in 2025. HMS Prince of Wales will be taking charge of the UK Carrier Strike Group, with this exercise bringing the ship’s company up to speed ahead of next year. British warships, support vessels and jets from across the world will be deployed.
UKCSG Commander, Commodore James Blackmore, said: “This exercise is important because it will validate my team as a ‘Very High Readiness’ force, which means we can be ready to command a fleet with a few days’ notice. This is all in preparation for next year’s exercise across which will see us traverse the globe to achieve.”