Article Posted on : - Oct 25, 2010

HMS Daring (front) with the US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Enterprise. A UK MoD photo

LONDON (BNS): British Royal Navy’s first Type-45 destroyer HMS Daring has exhibited its powerful capabilities during a month-long joint exercise with US Navy's aircraft carrier USS Enterprise in the Atlantic.

The warship, which officially joined the Royal Navy fleet in July 2010, spent most of October working with the USS Enterprise, according to the UK MoD.

The 7,500-tonne destroyer, designed to provide defence cover against multiple air or sea targets, was entrusted with the task of defending the skies around the Enterprise and her escorts.

The warship is armed with the Sea Viper air defence missile system and powerful radar.

With the ability to operate a range of helicopters from its flight deck, HMS Daring also witnessed USS Enterprise launching a number of aircraft sorties. It also conducted its first replenishment at sea with a foreign tanker; the destroyer took on 350 tonnes of fuel in just one ‘stop’, the UK MoD said.

Since its commissioning into the Royal Navy fleet in July 2009, HMS Daring has undertaken a series of trials and acceptance activities to test and confirm its technical capability for its mission readiness at sea.

The destroyer’s first operational deployment is planned for 2011.