Royal Navy's Type 45 destroyer Dunkan sets out on maden voyage
Duncan, the Royal Navy’s sixth and final powerful new Type 45 Destroyer, has put to sea for the first time (August 31) for trials where a blend of Royal Navy, Ministry of Defence and BAE Systems personnel will put her through her paces, Royal Navy reports.
Following her departure from BAE System’s Scotstoun shipyard in Glasgow, Duncan quickly set about testing her speed and manoeuvrability, which will see the 7500-tonne destroyer taken to over 30 knots and turning very tight figure-of-eights.
Duncan will also spend four weeks at sea trialling her power and propulsion systems as well as her highly capable weapons systems.
A second period of sea trials, set to take place later in the year, will test Duncan’s combat systems and sensors in order to ensure she joins the other Type 45s already commissioned and based in Portsmouth, in pristine condition next year.
Since her launch in October 2010, Duncan's ship’s company has been steadily growing and, on the last count, stood at 70.
She will receive the remainder of her total complement of 191 sailors before she hoists the White Ensign at her commissioning ceremony in 2013 – only then will she become HMS Duncan.