HMS Daring Reaches Major Milestone in Regeneration Project

The Royal Navy's Type 45 Destroyer, HMS Daring, has achieved a significant milestone in its long-awaited regeneration project, with the ship's staff officially moving onboard this week. This marks a pivotal moment for HMS Daring, which has been non-operational for over eight and a half years. The ship was initially laid up in June 2017 due to manpower shortages, as the Royal Navy prioritized crewing for aircraft carriers and frigates.

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• June 2017: HMS Daring is laid up due to manpower shortages.

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• August 2019: The first part of the ship's major refit begins in Portsmouth.

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• September 2021: HMS Daring is towed to Cammell Laird shipyard in Merseyside for further work.

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• April 2022: Significant modifications are made, including the removal of a section of the hull to facilitate the installation of a new diesel generator.

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• January 2023: The ship returns to Portsmouth to commence the second and most challenging stage of its regeneration.

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• July 2025: Cdr Graeme Hazelwood takes command of HMS Daring, marking the official handover from BAE Systems back to the Royal Navy.

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Bringing HMS Daring back to operational status has proven to be a complex task. The Type 45 Destroyers are intricate vessels, and the extensive upkeep required, along with the Power Improvement Project (PIP), has been described by the Ministry of Defence as “planned unavailability.” This situation has arisen partly due to the prioritization of work on other naval vessels and the scale of the regeneration task itself. The refit has involved replacing a significant amount of obsolete equipment, installing new engines, and recommissioning all systems that have been dormant for years.

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Cdr Graeme Hazelwood expressed optimism about the ship's future, noting that the extensive investment in the Type 45 fleet is beginning to yield results. The Royal Navy anticipates that the availability of destroyers will gradually increase, which will help mitigate the loss of frigates in service.

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Despite the progress, some critics have raised concerns regarding the lengthy duration of the regeneration process and the implications of having a significant portion of the fleet non-operational for such an extended period. The prioritization of other vessels over HMS Daring has been a point of contention among naval analysts and defense commentators.

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HMS Daring is expected to rejoin the Royal Navy fleet later this year, following the completion of its regeneration. This reintegration is anticipated to enhance the operational capabilities of the Royal Navy, particularly in light of the ongoing challenges faced by the fleet.

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• “Bringing a ship back to life that has been laid up for so long is problematic at the best of times, but the Type 45s are complex ships.” — Cdr Graeme Hazelwood, Captain of HMS Daring.

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• “The enormous and drawn-out investment made in the Type 45s is starting to pay off with destroyer availability set to gradually increase, which should partially help mitigate for the loss of frigates.” — Ministry of Defence spokesperson.

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