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Daring Class
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The Type 42 Sheffield Class destroyers were designed in the late 1960s to provide fleet area air-defence for Britain’s Royal Navy, after the proposed the Type 82 air defence cruisers were canceled by the Labour Government of 1966. A total of 14 were built for the Royal Navy, and 8 remain: HMS Sheffield and HMS Coventry were sunk in the Falklands War, and Birmingham, Newscastle, Glasgow, and Cardiff are no longer in service. The others are still receiving upgrades, though 2 of the ships have been downgraded by removing their defensive Sea Dart missiles as an ‘economy’ measure.

No ship lasts forever, and the last Type 42 ship was delivered in 1985. To replace them, the Royal Navy planned the Type 45 Daring Class. The Type 45s were built to deal with a new age of threats, from saturation attacks with supersonic ship-killing missiles that can fly from the ship’s radar horizon to impact in 45 seconds, to the reality of future threats including ballistic missiles and WMD proliferation. Designed with stealth in mind and equipped with BAE’s Sampson active array targeting radar, a long-range X-band search radar, and the PAAMS Aster missile system developed in conjunction with France and Italy (Horizon Class and FREMM frigates), the Type 45 destroyers promise to be one of the world’s most capable air defense ships when deployed.

Plans originally called for 12 of the 7,350t Type 45s. They would restore Britain’s anti-air capability by replacing the 14 Type 42 5,200t destroyers, and supplement Britain’s remaining Type 23 frigates given the Duke Class’ limited ability to cope with the newest threats. That number was cut to 8 Type 45s in 2004, however, and Britain’s 2008 Defence Equipment Report listed the overall program as 36 months behind schedule and GBP 989 million (almost $2 billion) over budget.

Now the British government has declined its option on Daring Class ships #7 and 8. A navy that has already seen its number of surface combatants sink below the level of the French fleet for the first time since the 17th century will view this as a bitter blow, but the budgetary math is remorseless…

Daring Class
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June 19/08: Armed Forces Minister Bob Ainsworth admits in the House of Commons that Gordon Brown’s Labour government has declined the option on the 7th and 8th Daring Class destroyers. So far, HMS Daring has participated in sea trials, while Dauntless and Diamond have been launched. Dragon has all sections fully joined but has not been launched yet, while Defender and Duncan will complete the class. Steel cutting on Duncan began in March 2008.

The Hon. Mr. Ainsworth added that the entire Armed Forces equipment program was being reviewed in light of planned budgets, which most observers believe means cuts in store for the Army (FRES seen as the biggest target) and Air Force (Tranche 3 Typhoon fighters in question). At the same time, Ainsworth said that Britain’s Future Surface Combatant to replace the smaller Type 22 and Type 23 frigates was being moved forward. This may or may not be significant, however; no timeline was specified, and “out-year” programs must always be regarded with skepticism.

On the industrial front, reaction was muted. This is true in part because Clyde and Portsmouth yards’ immediate future were safeguarded in May 2008, however, with confirmation that both sites will share in construction of the Royal Navy’s 2 full-size Queen Elizabeth Class aircraft carriers between 2009-2016. BAE Systems and the VT Group, who build the Type 45s, will also share that contract, and are expected to share in future surface combatant construction and maintenance contracts via their forthcoming joint venture.

The move was condemned by the Conservative Party, who warned that 6 ships were not adequate, and could mean as few as 3 operational Daring Class ships on station at any given time. In an unusual move within the Parliamentary system, prominent Labour MP and former chairman of the Defence Select Committee Bruce George also warned that:

“It has now reached the point where, in terms of personnel and in terms of equipment, [the UK armed forces] is inadequate to take the [global missions] stance that is being taken…. Lives are lost if equipment is inadequate and wars can be lost if equipment is inadequate.”

Coverage: Daily Mail | Financial Times | Glasgow Evening Times | The Herald of Glasgow | Portsmouth News | This is London | UK Shipping Times. Non-British readers might note that “Six of the Best…” is a double entendre that can also refer to the school punishment of six hits with a cane.